BX 




TZ-SS* 



CofyrigkN!' 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



J 



rxrxh I 



cTit A /m 




9^^HiH^kt^b^&i^K H 


' ■■\\ 


(o^leam n 


V 

•a 

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ - \ 



ttjarine^.I^azeltixie 



i 5 




1 


- — ^^^^ 


\ 


, ^^^^g 


\ - 




i 


: t;--: _ 


! 





PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 



PILGRIM FOLLOWERS 
OF THE GLEAM 



A Short Study of Congregational Heroes who have given . 

their lives for the New Era of Brotherhood " 



■ ^ 



^'* 



KATHARINE S. HAZELTINE 




THE PILGRIM PRESS 

Department of Educational Publications 

BOSTON CHICAGO 






COPTRIGHT 1919 

A. W. FELL 



CU527763 



THE PILGRIM PRESS 
BOSTON 

^iii 15 idly 



-Vv© I 



Not of the sunlightj 
Not of the moonlighty 
Not of the starlight! 
young Mariner j 
Down to the haven, 
Call your companions, 
Launch your vessel 
And crowd your canvas, 
Andy ere it vanishes 
Over the margin. 
After it, follow it. 
Follow the Gleam, 

— Tennyson. 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

I. A Boy Who Dared Follow the Gleam . 1 

11. Stepping-Stones 15 

III. Marching Forward 34 

IV. From Sea to Shining Sea 49 

V. From Sea to Shining Sea . {Continued) . 64 

VI. Into All the World 82 

VII. For Freedom 97 

VIII. Brothers All 117 

IX. Carry On 139 



PILGRIM FOLLOWERS 
OF THE GLEAM 

I 

A BOY WHO DARED FOLLOW THE GLEAM 

" To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield." 

— Tennyson. 

The Gleam 

Today millions of men and boys dare to follow the 
gleam. They are French and American, English and 
Canadian, Belgian and Italian boys, as well as boys 
from Armenia, India, China, Japan, and South Africa, 
all eager, all glad to follow it. In the Great War, just over, 
it led them to the battle-fields of France and of Flanders, 
of Italy and of Mesopotamia. It has led them as soldiers 
of the cross to China, to South Africa — everywhere. It 
has led them to cold, hunger, hardship, pain, even unto 
death. Yet on they follow, ^' to strive, to seek, to find, 
and not to yield.'' 

Why? They strive to overcome cruelty, greed, and 
selfishness, to destroy the belief that the will of a few men 
may be imposed upon all others in spite of their desire, and 
that a few may have prosperity and happiness while others 
pay the price. They are willing to dare because they 
hate these evils. They seek to establish justice, righteous- 
ness, and mercy, and to establish for all the world the 
principles that every man should have a voice in deciding 
matters which concern his welfare, that the stronger na- 
tions must not oppress the weak, and that men may not 
live only for themselves without regard for others. They 



2 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

hope that, as a result of their work, men of all races and 
nations shall have brotherhood. Though they are sick 
and wounded and weary, they will not yield. They will 
strive on until they have made the world safe for democracy. 
Brotherhood, democracy, — that is the vision, the gleam 
which shines today before a host of people of all nations 
and races. Yet, although it now shines before the whole 
world more brightly and clearly than ever before, it is not 
a new light which guides men on. Long, long ago wisemen 
saw a wondrous star in the East and in following its gleam 
they were led to the manger where the Christ Child lay. 
During his lifetime Jesus showed to men God, their Father, 
and taught them to call each other brother. From him 
has shone this gleam. At first only a few saw it and these 
but dimly. In the days that have succeeded, as men have 
followed its light, they have seen more and more of its 
beauty, its truth, and its power, until now to us it means 
establishing for all races and nations upon earth the era of 
brotherhood. 

" Not of the sunlight, 

Not of the moonlight, 

Notof thestarhght!" 

From Jesus does this gleam still shine. To make it real, 
each one of us is challenged, for the accomplishment of the 
task depends upon us. 

^' O young mariner, 
Down to the haven 
Call your companions, 
Launch your vessel 
And crowd your canvas, 
And, ere it vanishes 
Over the margin. 
After it, follow it. 
Follow the Gleam.'' 



A BOY WHO DARED 3 

Our Particular Heritage 

In some of the early followers of the gleam we people 
in the Congregational churches are particularly interested. 
We honor them, of course, because they played such an im- 
portant part in the beginning of this struggle for democracy, 
but we honor them especially for two reasons: first, be- 
cause it was in these early days when they struggled to gain 
liberty of conscience that our Congregational church had 
its beginning; and second, because one of the first groups 
of Congregationalists, the church at Scrooby, England, 
became the very first Congregational church in America 
and wonderfully carried forward God's great adventure, 
the establishment of his Kingdom upon earth. In 1920 
we celebrate the 300th anniversary of its settlement at 
Plymouth. In this book you will find the story of the 
Pilgrims. Only by understanding their experiences can 
we truly honor their achievement. You will find, too, 
stories of other followers of the gleam, though it is possible 
to tell the achievements of only a very few of the great host 
in Congregational and other churches, whom today we 
honor for their work in aiding the progress of the era of 
brotherhood. 

A Struggle Begun 

To understand what their struggle meant, we must go 
back to the year 1380 and to John Wyclif. At that time 
there were not the many different churches we know about; 
there was just one church, the Roman Catholic, which 
considered the Pope at Rome the highest authority on 
earth, the one who ruled in place of Christ. Cardinals, 
bishops, and priests were his representatives in the different 
countries, and the kings as w^ell as the people of all the 
lands were forced to obey his will. There was no appeal 



4 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

from his laws and decrees. Every one must accept them or 
be ■* excommunicated from the church, that is, become an 
outcast from home and friends. WycUf, who was a pro- 
fessor at Oxford, translated the Bible into the English the 
people used every day. Up to that time, as the Bible had 
been only in Latin, very few people besides the priests 
read it. When Wyclif made known his English Bible, he 
declared that this book and not the Pope should be the 
highest authority and the only guide in showing men what 
they should believe and how they should act. He was even 
more daring. He declared that men ought not to obey the 
laws made by the Pope and his cardinals whenever they 
differed from the laws expressed in the Bible, and that, as 
the church was really a body of followers of Christ, men 
should obey him and not the Pope. Of course, you can 
easily see that if men followed these teachings of John 
Wyclif, the power of the Pope would be destroyed, and you 
will not be surprised that the Pope was exceedingly angry 
and tried to punish Wyclif. He was not able to do it, 
however, because at that particular time these views helped 
the English people to free themselves from paying a tribute 
to Rome. Later on when the feeling toward Wyclif had 
changed, the people dug up his body, burned it, and scat- 
tered the ashes into the river. 

The Lollards 

But what Wyclif thought lived on after him in the lives 
of his pupils. These were the Lollards. They too be- 
lieved that Christ alone should be their Master. Like 
the apostles, they traveled bare-foot throughout the land, 
clad in long robes of coarse red wool, carrying only the scrip 
and staff of the pilgrim. Many were the wayfarers 
in those days: wandering ballad singers, jesters, and 



A BOY WHO DARED 5 

'^ tumblers/^ or acrobats. When any of them stopped in 
village or manor, folk gathered together to be entertained. 
Wherever the Lollards stopped, they told the story of the 
life of Jesus, and the commandments he gave to those who 
would follow him. How eagerly the little groups about 
them must have listened! The Lollards copied out by 
hand — it was before the day of the printing press — a 
great many of the stories and texts from Wyclif's Bible 
and gave them to those very few who were fortunate 
enough to be able to read. The humble folk — the 
tradesmen, artisans, yeomen, and ploughboys — thought 
deeply over these stories, talked about them, asked ques- 
tions, and learned many passages by heart. How much 
it must have meant to these simple people to know that 
Jesus believed each one of them to be a son of God and valua- 
ble to him; that he believed God to be a Father who loved 
men though they sinned, and who forgave them; that his 
first disciples were humble working folk like themselves; 
that every one of them, even the least, might go directly 
to his heavenly Father without the aid of any priest or 
saint! These truths many of them believed. But be- 
cause the Lollards pointed out the abuses in the church, 
and in those days this kind of teaching was heresy, the Lol- 
lards were bitterly persecuted. All suffered loss of property 
and were scorned by their fellows. Most of them were im- 
prisoned, tortured, and put to death either on the gallows 
or at the stake. As we look back, we realize keenly the 
tremendous price paid for that liberty of conscience which 
we today accept as a matter of course. 

The Puritans 

By and by it became possible for a steadily increasing 
number of people easily to behold the splendid gleam which 



6 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

had led Wyclif and the Lollards. The Bible was printed. 
There were not many books in those times and men read 
eagerly the stories found in the Old and New Testaments. 
As they read, the people began to feel what a difference 
there was between the selfishness of the Pope and bishops, 
and the unselfishness of the Master and his apostles; 
between the church as they knew it and that of the New 
Testament times. As they found God's will there made 
plain, within them grew an intense longing to do away 
with all those ceremonies and practises which they felt 
were hindering them from truly following the Master 
Christ. This class of persons gradually came to be known 
as Puritans because of their desire to purify the church. 
Like Wyclif and the Lollards, they dared much to be loyal 
to the gleam of truth they saw. In Henry Villus time, 
they had no longer to struggle against the Pope, for Henry 
VIII had been declared the head of the church, and the 
church proclaimed free from the Pope's control. Yet they 
could not put the king in Christ's place any more than they 
could the Pope. Under the reign of Mary, the daughter of 
Henry VIII who succeeded him to the throne, the Puritans 
suffered bitter persecution and many went to the stake or 
the scaffold rather than give up their principles, for Queen 
Mary was a Catholic and tried to reestabUsh the authority 
of the Pope. Nor were the Puritans better off when EUza- 
beth, the second daughter of Henry VIII, ascended the 
throne. Even though she was a Protestant, instead of 
beginning the reforms hoped for, she not only had Parlia- 
ment declare that she was the head of the church, but she 
also had them pass an act which compelled every minister 
to use the Book of Common Prayer in every religious 
service. Now it is only to be expected that the Puritans, 
who believed that the Bible was the only authority in 



A BOY WHO DARED 7 

matters spiritual and that Christ only was the Head of the 
church, should resent these acts of Elizabeth. They could 
find no authority for them in the Word of God. They 
could not conscientiously follow them. So they were 
persecuted. 

A Boy's Hard Problem 

This was the state of affairs when William Bradford 
was about fifteen years old. The more he studied his Bible, 
the more sure he felt that the Puritans were right. He 
believed, with the small party called Separatists, that it 
would not do simply to stay within the Church of England 
and reform it, as the majority of Puritans wished, but that 
they had better leave the church altogether and form a 
church which should be more nearly like that described in 
the New Testament. He believed, as they did, that a 
church was formed by those who believed in Christ uniting 
of their own will in an agreement, or covenant, to obey him, 
that members of this church had equal rights and privileges, 
and that the members had the right to elect their ministers 
and officers. The question he had to decide was, ^^Shall I 
declare my belief and become one of these Separatists? 
Have I the courage to face all that these Separatists must 
face? " 

Being laughed at is no fun. Every boy hates it. So did 
William Bradford. He shrank from facing all the jests 
and scorn he had heard hurled at those who dared to belong 
to this small body of people. Yet ridicule he knew to be 
one of the very least of the hard things he must bear. One 
of the first things which would happen to him, if he declared 
his belief, as he well knew, would be that his uncles, who 
had cared for him ever since his babyhood, would turn him 
out of the house without a penny and without a hope of 



8 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

ever receiving his share of his father's property. More 
than this, he knew he would have a hard time to earn a 
living. The neighbors would be slow to employ one who 
would now be regarded by all citizens loyal to the queen 
as a traitor to his country. That was how they considered 
the Puritans and especially the Separatists. Furthermore, 
he would be treated as a traitor to both country and church. 
He had seen these things happen to others. He would be 
heavily fined or imprisoned. He might even have to be- 
come one of those brave souls who had faced death rather 
than yield their privilege to follow the teachings of Christ. 
Had he the courage to dare all these things? 

The Spirit of the Man 

From the record of William Bradford's later Ufe, we 
know it was his habit to trust in every difficulty to the 
strength sent him by God. Perhaps he recalled Paul's 
words, '^ If God be for us, who can be against us? " We 
know from his own writing that he believed unusual 
difficulties and dangers had to be met with ^^ answerable 
courage." It was thus he faced this difficult}^ and danger 
and dared to follow the gleam. We are fortunate to have 
William Bradford's own account of the covenant and 
experiences of the group of Separatists whom he joined, 
that little church at Scrooby which was to be so famous. 
He writes, '^ Ye Lord's free people joyned themselves 
(by a covenant of the Lord) into a church estate in ye 
fellowship of ye gospell to walke in all his wayes, made 
known, or to be made known unto them, according to their 
best endeavours, whatsoever it should cost them, the Lord 
assisting them. And that it cost them something this 
ensewing historie will declare." 

In 1606 the new Archbishop of York began the system- 



A BOY WHO DARED 9 

atic suppression of these " heretics." As William Bradford 
tells us in his account of these days: " But after these 
things they could not long continue in any peaceable 
conditions, but were hunted and persecuted on every side, 
so as their former affictions were but as flea bitings in 
comparison of these which now came upon them. For 
some were taken and clapt up in prison, others had their 
houses besett and watcht night and day and hardly escaped 
their hands, and ye most were faine to flie and leave their 
houses and habitations, and the means of their livelihood. 
Yet these and many other sharper things which afterward 
befell them were no other than they looked for." 

A Momentous Decision 

They soon reaUzed that they could have no comfort in 
England. William Brewster suggested that they go to 
Holland, where there was religious freedom for all men and 
whither many of those persecuted as they were had gone. 
"But to goe into a countrie they knew not (but by hearsay) 
where they must learne a new language, and get their 
livings they knew not how . • . it was by many thought 
an adventure almost desperate . . . and a miserie worse 
than death. Especially seeing they were not acquainted 
with trade nor traffique, but had been used to a plaine 
countrie life. But these things did not dismay them 
(though they did sometime trouble them) for their desires 
were sett on ye ways of God and to injoye his ordinances; 
but they rested on his providence and knew whom they 
had believed." It is thus that Bradford relates their 
predicament, adding simply: "Yet this was not all, for 
though they could not stay, yet were they not suf- 
fered to goe, but ye ports and havens were shut against 
them." 



10 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

Attempts to Escape 

Many times they tried to get away secretly, but often 
they were surprised and their goods were intercepted. 
Bradford's account gives us only two of the instances. 
In 1607, in December, a large company planned to leave 
from Boston, a seaport about fifty miles from Scrooby, 
and hired a ship wholly for themselves, making arrange- 
ment with the master of the ship to take them and their 
goods in. He kept them waiting, and finally, having gotten 
them and their goods aboard, he betrayed them to the 
officers, who put them into open boats, robbed them of 
their money, carried them back to town, '^ made them a 
spectackle and wonder to ye multitudes, which came 
flocking on all sides to behould them,'' and cast them into 
prison. 

This sort of treatment did not prevent their making a 
second attempt the following spring. They found a Dutch- 
man, the owner of his own ship, who agreed to take them. 
He agreed to meet them at a large common between Grimsby 
and Hull. The women and children and the goods were 
sent on in a large bark, while the men were to walk to the 
meeting place. Unfortunately, the women and children 
reached there a day ahead of time, and feehng very seasick, 
urged the seaman to put into a creek. There, next morn- 
ing when the ship arrived, they found that they were 
stranded, for it was low tide, and they could not get to her. 
The shipmaster sent his boat for the men and got the first 
load safely on board. Just as they were about to send her 
back for more, they saw soldiers coming after them. The 
Dutch captain would not wait. He hoisted sail, with the 
poor men on board powerless to help their distressed wives 
and children on the shore. They had scarce a penny nor 
a change of clothes. They knew only too well the troubles 



A BOY WHO DARED 11 

their families would have to meet, '^ but all in vaine, ther 
was no remedy, they must thus sadly part." To make 
matters still harder they ran into a terrible storm at sea. 
For fourteen days or more they were tossed about, the 
mariners themselves often despairing of life. Bradford 
was probably one of this company on the ship. He tells 
us with what fervent prayers they cried unto the Lord in 
this great distress. '* Even without any great distrac- 
tion, when ye water rane into their mouthes and ears; 
and the mariners cried out, we sinke, we sinke; they cried 
(if not with mirakelous, yet with a great light or degree of 
divine faith) : Yet Lord thou canst save, yet Lord thou 
canst save. And in the end the Lord brought them safe 
to their desired haven.'' Those who had been left were 
indeed in a sorry plight. The men with whom it would go 
hardest should they be captured, were urged to escape, 
the others staying to assist the women. Weeping in 
anxiety for their husbands, with the children clinging 
to them crying for fear and cold, they were placed under 
arrest. They were hurried from one point to another. 
They could not be sent home, for indeed they had no 
homes to go to; and to imprison them because they must 
go with their husbands seemed even to these judges un- 
reasonable. Finally the authorities were glad to be rid 
of them, and some in one way and some in another, '^ they 
all gott over at length . . . and mette togeather againe 
according to their desires, with no small rejoycing.'' 

In a Strange Land 

Though it was at Amsterdam that they settled first, 
the little company soon decided to go to Ley den. Here the 
first problem to be settled was that of making a living. 
They became carpenters, weavers, bricklayers, makers of 



12 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

furniture, glass, candles, or clocks, bakers, brewers, 
tailors. Such a variety of occupation was good preparation 
for the people who were to lay the foundations of a new state 
across the water. 

WiUiam Brewster, who had been elected by the people 
as elder or assistant to Pastor Robinson, taught EngUsh 
in a school, and later managed a printing-press. Pastor 
John Robinson enrolled in the University of Leyden, be- 
coming very well known because of his abihty, breadth of 
mind, and sweetness of character. WiUiam Bradford 
himself, who was about seventeen at this time, became 
an apprentice to a silk dyer. Before long his marriage to 
Dorothy May was recorded. 

When they had been in Leyden only a year, the Scrooby 
church purchased a house and a garden in Bell Alley, 
or Belfry Lane, in the very heart of the city in its oldest 
and finest part. They gave the large house, in the chief 
sitting room of which the}^ held their meeting, to Pastor 
Robinson. In the garden, leaving an open plot in the 
center, they put up about twenty Uttle wooden houses, in 
which probably the whole company lived. Their neigh- 
bors thought highly of them. Bradford tells us in his his- 
tory that though they were very poor ^^ yet none were so 
poor but if they were known to be of the congregation, the 
Dutch, either bakers or others, would trust them in any 
reasonable matter when they wanted money.'' And again, 
'* Because they had found by experience how careful they 
were to keep their word and saw them so painful and 
diligent in their calhngs, yet they would strive to get their 
custom and to employ them above others in their work 
for their honesty and diligence.'' Robinson was held in 
high esteem at the University. He was put forward by 



A BOY WHO DARED 13 

the professors publicly to defend their principles against 
criticisms in a great public debate held in the city. This 
he did several times. '^ The which/' Bradford tells us, 
''as it causes many to praise God yt the trueth had 
so famous victory, so it procured him much honor and 
respect from those learned men and others which loved ye 
trueth.'' 

While they were in Leyden, others whose names are 
very familiar joined this fellowship of Christians. There 
was Captain Miles Standish of the EngHsh Army, who 
made his living by the sword, and John Carver, who was 
evidently a person of means and an able man of affairs. 
There too was Samuel Fuller, the well-loved physician, 
wise, tender, loyal, without whose aid in the days that 
followed the little company would have fared badly. 
Another was Edward Winslow, a gentleman who came in 
his travels to Leyden in 1617 and was so impressed with 
the real Christly living of the brotherhood that he joined 
his fortunes with theirs. His abilities at once made him 
prominent amongst them. Thomas Brewer, too, joined 
them. He also became a student at the University. He 
it was who gave Brewster the funds with which to set up 
as a printer. Robert Cushman, still another who joined 
the company, acted as their agent in their undertaking 
to emigrate to America. From one hundred they increased 
to three hundred. Many married, some within their own 
brotherhood, others into Dutch families. '' So they grew 
in knowledge and other gifts and graces of ye spirite of God 
and lived together in peace and love and holiness and 
many came unto them from diverse parts of England; 
they grew a great congregation." Thus did they begin 
their adventure. 



14 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

QUESTIONS 

1. ^Miat is the gleam which people follow today? 

2. What did following the gleam mean to John Wyclif? 

3. Imagine yourself a farmer's boy or a milkmaid hstening to the 
Lollards: which of their stories would impress you most? 

4. What was the difference between the beUefs of the Puritans 
and those of the Separatists? 

5. In what ways w^as it hard for William Bradford to decide to 
become a Separatist? 

6. What kind of experiences did he have after joining the Scrooby 
church? 

7. Is it as hard for people to become church members today? 

8. What finally did the Scrooby church decide to do? 

9. Why are Congregationahsts interested in this Scrooby church? 

10. Wliat did other people in Ley den think of the Scrooby church? 

11. How does the motto of this chapter describe their spirit? 

12. If the gleam does not come from the sunlight, moonlight, or 
starhght, where does it come from? 



II 

STEPPING-STONES 

" Even as Stepping-Stones unto others for the performing of so 
great a work." — William Bradford, 

Restless for a New Home 

These exiles, the members of the Scrooby Church, Kved 
in Leyden about twelve years. But they never felt really 
at home there in Holland. They were English folk who 
loved EngUsh ways. They saw their children growing 
up, marrying into Dutch families, many of them entering 
into the Dutch army, as was only natural. They feared 
that their little community would be absorbed by the 
Dutch life around them. Moreover, it was so difficult for 
these farmer folk to make a living by the trades and handi- 
crafts of the time that they could not afford to conduct 

[schools for their boys and girls; and the hard work of 
making a living, in which even the boys and girls had to 
take their part, was making them all grow old too soon, and 

iwearing out their leaders before their time. Furthermore, 

ithey could not keep the Lord's Day as they thought right. 

[Their children were not growing up with the same vision 
that had lighted their way so far, and led them on. Here 
in Holland surely their vision of the kingdom of Christ 
could not be made real. Back to England they could not 
go, for there prison awaited them. They longed for a 
place where they might begin a Christian commonwealth 
and give to others the gospel they so dearly loved. It was 
during these days that the tales of the brave adventures 
of Englishmen in the land across the seas stirred their 



16 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

hearts. There they might find a home under the Eng- 
Ush flag, where they could perhaps, as Bradford tells us, 
" lay some good foundation, or at least make some way 
thereto, for propagating and advancing the Kingdom of 
Christ in those remote parts of the world, yea, though 
they should be even as stepping-stones unto others for the 
performing of so great a work.'' 

A Test of Courage 

We can imagine how earnestly and eagerly they dis- 
cussed this question: Should they go to America? 
This was a mighty big question — going to America. 
What did it involve? Wilham Bradford must have been 
a leader in all these discussions, with John Carver, 
Edward Winslow, Pastor Robinson, and Elder Brewster. 
He tells us himself in his ** Historic of PUmouth Planta- 
tion " that they reahzed the obstacles; they were not 
ignorant of the danger. In the first place, there were 
the dangers and uncertainties of a sea voyage. The 
little ships that sailed in those days were far, far dif- 
ferent from the modern steamers. The voyage would 
be very long, perhaps too long and hard for the women 
and older people to endure. Yet even if they should 
make the voyage safely, " the miseries of the land which 
they should be exposed to would be too hard to be 
borne.'' There they " should be Uable to famine and 
nakedness and ye wante in a maner of all things. The 
change of aire, diate, drinking of water would infecte 
their bodies with sore sicknesses, and grievous diseases. 
And also those which should escape or overcome these 
difficulties should yet be in continual danger of ye 
savage people who are cruel, barbarous and most treach- 
erous.'' They had vivid pictures of their cannibalism. 



STEPPING STONES 17 

They realized that great sums of money would be needed 
to furnish such a voyage and to buy the supplies they 
would need. The sale of their estates would not be 
enough to meet their expenses. Most folks would think 
that these were reasons enough for not going to America. 
There may have been some who said within themselves, 
or perhaps aloud, '^ We cannot accomplish this great 
task. Why do we keep on struggling? '' But most of 
these men and women whom the gleam had led so far, 
still saw it ahead of them, leading them further. Ere 
it vanished and the vision splendid failed to become real, 
they must up and after it. 

Bradford goes on to tell us that " it was answered 
that all great and honourable actions are accompanied 
with great difficulties and must be both enterprised and 
overcome with answerable courages. . . . Their con- 
dition was not ordinarie, their ends were good and 
honourable; their calling lawfuU and urgente; and 
therefore they might expect ye blessing of God in their 
proceeding.'' So they made, by vote of the church, 
the decision which has made history — they would go 
to America. In spite of all the difficulties, they believed 
that they were doing right, and that " therefore they 
might expect the blessing of God in their proceeding." 

Preparing for the Venture 

Nearly three years, three very, very hard years it was 
after this great decision was made, before the Pilgrims 
could set sail on the great adventure, for they had to 
decide where they should go, next who should go, and 
finally how they should provide themselves with the 
necessary means. At last the decision was made to 
apply to the London Virginia Company for a grant of 



18 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

land in what was then called Virginia, north of the 
settlements at Jamestown made by those who were of 
the Church of England. They sent John Carver and 
Robert Cushman over to England to make arrangements 
and get the consent of King James. The company was 
willing enough, but it was another matter to win King 
James' approval. This he gave at last, though rather 
ungraciously. Yet negotiations were so long that the 
London Virginia Company withdrew, and the Pilgrims, 
urged by Thomas Weston, a merchant who agreed to 
furnish funds, consented to go under the Plymouth 
Virginia Company to the northern parts of Virginia 
which was to be called New England. 

At length all was settled. As the majority of the 
church was to remain for the present. Pastor Robinson 
was to stay in Leyden, while Elder Brewster was to go 
with the smaller company, who were now to be called 
Pilgrims. They had bought and equipped the Speedwell, 
a craft of 60 tons, and Robert Cushman and John Carver 
over in London and Southampton had hired the May- 
flower of 180 tons. Among those who were going, to 
whom the Leyden folk gave a feast before they went 
with them to Delfshaven to see them set sail, were 
Edward Winslow, who afterward became governor of 
the Colony, Samuel Fuller, their good ph^^sician. Miles 
Standish, the soldier, and William Bradford. Some of 
the men in the company had to leave their wives and 
children to come on after them. Edward Winslow, in 
a letter to friends in London a few years later, tells us 
of the farewell, and that after the prayer by the pastor 
they were " not able to speak one to another, for the 
abundance of sorrow to part.'' " So lifting up our 
hearts for each other to the Lord our God, we departed 



I 

I 
I 



STEPPING STONES 19 

and found His presence with us, in the midst of our 
manifold straights He carried us through.'' 



Discouragements and Delays 

When they reached Southampton where were the May- 
flower, with Robert Cushman and John Carver and 
others waiting to join them, they learned of changes in 
the agreement which Weston had forced upon Robert 
Cushman. They were to lose their privilege of working 
two days a week for themselves, and the ownership of 
their own houses and garden plots: — it was all to be 
part of the common stock. They at first refused, but 
finally they were forced to accept the terms. Another 
difficulty which met them here was that, while they had 
understood Weston to pay certain of their debts, he had 
refused and left them to get on as they could. Their 
own means were so limited that they were forced to sell 
part of their precious stores to " clear things at their 
going away." Not until August fifth were they ready. 
Then John Carver read to them, before they set sail, a 
letter from their dearly loved Pastor Robinson. Edward 
Winslow wrote his friends in England: "He urged us 
'to follow him no further than he followed Christ; if 
God should reveal anything to us by any other instru- 
ment of His, to be as ready to receive it as ever we were 
to receive any truth by his ministry, for he was very 
confident that the Lord had more truth and light yet 
to break forth out of his Holy Word.' He blessed us 
tenderly. Gladly he would have gone with us." Their 
pastor hoped to follow, but he died before his hope was 
realized. 

Before the Pilgrims had gone very far, it was dis- 
covered that the Speedwell leaked so badly that they 



20 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

must put back at once, for fear she might sink. Some 
time they stayed in port, while the craft was thoroughly 
overhauled, no doubt anxiously watching the lessening 
of their supplies by this time of waiting. Again they 
set sail. This time, too, the Speedwell proved unsea- 
worthy. With what despairing hearts must they have 
worked at the pumps trying to keep the ship afloat 
until she could again reach a harbor. Here they finally 
abandoned the ship. (It was later discovered that the 
Speedwell had been overmasted, perhaps intentionally, 
for she was later sold and with lighter masts sailed many 
voyages in safety.) Twenty or more of her passengers 
were put ashore; the others crowded into the larger 
ship. 

A Perilous Voyage 

At last on September 6, 1620, the Mayflower with her 
brave Uttle company, about one hundred strong, sailed 
from Plymouth Harbor. At first they had good winds, 
but before long fierce storms overtook them. The vessel 
was strained. Some one discovered that '^ one of the 
main beams in the midship was bowed and cracked, 
which put them in some fear that the ship could not 
be able to perform the voyage. '' Leaks were threaten- 
ing. There were indeed grave and anxious hearts in 
that little group of leaders who had hastily to consider 
what was best to be done. The master of the ship 
declared he knew that the ship was firm and strong 
under water. As for the buckling of the main beam, 
that could be remedied; there was a great iron screw 
one of the passengers had brought from Holland which 
could raise the beam into place. How glad must have 
been the one who had thought to provide the screw! 



STEPPING-STONES 21 

With this encouragement '' they committed themselves " 
— as often and always they had done and would do — 
'' to the will of God and resolved to proceed.'' Storm 
followed storm. For days together the winds were so 
fierce and high that no sails could be spread, and the 
ship had to be left to drift before the winds with 
the bare masts. Yet steadily they held to the westward 
course. The power of our Father kept that ship and 
crew from disaster as surely as he did the little vessel 
of disciples in the storm on Galilee. 

** Land, ho!'' 

On Friday, November 20th, they sighted Cape Cod, 
" the which being made and certainly known to be it, 
they were not a little joyful.'' Indeed how great joy 
must theirs have been that the perils of the sea were 
past. That they recognized the land and knew it by 
name was due to the fact that Englishmen had ad- 
ventured up and down these coasts, especially Captain 
John Smith, who had explored all this region a little 
time before and had made a map, which no doubt these 
Pilgrims used. As their patent was for land nearer the 
Hudson river, they tried to go on, but the favorable 
winds failed and they found themselves among the 
breakers of the treacherous Nantucket shoals. Back 
they turned and came finally to anchor on Saturday, 
November 21st, in what is now the harbor of Province- 
town. The winds from the shore brought them the 
fragrance of the pine and juniper and sassafras of the 
woods that came down nearly to the water's edge. 
With grateful hearts they thanked God for all his guid- 
ance and protection and deliverance from dangers and 
miseries. 



22 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

The Mayflower Compact 

The peril of the journey was behind them; now new 
problems faced them, and to these they turned. On the 
Saturday morning as they entered the Harbor, a group of 
them — all the responsible men — met in the cabin of 
the TNlayflower to decide one of the great questions. They 
were not going to settle in the land to which their patent 
gave them the right. Then what should be their govern- 
ment? Some of those who w^ere not of the Scrooby Church 
from Leyden, who had been sent out by Weston and the 
other merchant adventurers, talked largely of how they 
would use their freedom once they were ashore. The rest 
reahzed that no one could be free to do as he pleased with- 
out regard for the welfare of the others. If every one did 
that, their undertaking would fail. They must cooperate. 
So they thought that by meeting together and agreeing 
upon a law for themselves they would have the necessary 
authority to govern all the company. To agree upon this 
law, the leaders — and these w^ere Carver and Elder 
Brewster, Bradford, and Winslow, Standish and Fuller — 
called the rest together in the cabin. There they drew 
up that morning the Mayflower Compact. By this docu- 
ment these men established for all equal laws and gave to 
all equal opportunity. 

Thus, many years before the Constitution of the United 
States was drawn up, this agreement made every one 
feel that the little new colony was to be a real human 
brotherhood. Each man had individual liberty and a 
voice in regulating the common interests. Yet he must 
not abuse his liberty by putting his own selfish interests 
before the common good. Every one had his own rights, 
yes, but he had also his obligations to the rest of the com- 
pany. These must not conflict. This compact was signed 



STEPPING-STONES 23 

by forty-one of the people. Then they chose John Carver 
for their governor. 

Exploring Parties 

That afternoon about fifteen or sixteen could wait no 
longer to explore the shore. The ship could get no nearer 
than three-quarters of a mile, '^ so that they were forced 
to wade a bowshot or two which caused many to get colds 
and coughs.'^ They found the land all wooded with oaks, 
pines, sassafras, juniper, birch, holly, vines, ash and wal- 
nut. How good the land seemed, even though it was rather 
bleak that late November Saturday afternoon! They got 
wood, juniper, which they sorely needed, and returned. 
Sunday, eager as they were to explore the land that was 
to be their new home, they kept the day holy. 

The next day, Monday, more went ashore, the young 
folks to refresh themselves, the women to do the washing. 
We can just imagine the bustle with which the men put 
swords, muskets and armor into condition for use, and 
made handles for the various tools they would need. How 
eager must have been their talk of all that they would do! 
Who wonders that the men were eager to explore, that they 
were impatient of delay, while their small boat, the shallop, 
was being made usable? 

It is therefore no surprise to learn that though the 
shallop was not ready, by Wednesday sixteen men led by 
Standish and Bradford were permitted in their impatience 
to go forth in search of the spot which might be fit for their 
settlement. We may realize their eagerness for this sort 
of cross-country hiking and camping out when we realize 
that it was winter, that they had to wade nearly waist- 
deep to reach the shore and that they spent two nights 
in just a rough shelter, sleeping in their wet clothes. It 



24 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

was hardly, camping-out weather! They saw six Indians, 
who ran at their approach, and though they followed their 
footprints for some distance, they could not overtake them. 
However, they made some interesting discoveries of some 
Indian graves, in which were a small old basket and a 
'' faire new basket round and narrowed at the top '' con- 
taining maise or Indian corn, and a great iron ship's kettle, 
^' out of Europe '' — evidently a bit of wreckage. They 
took the kettle and as much of the corn as they could, plan- 
ning to return the kettle and pay for the com when they 
met the owners. (This they were able to do about six 
months later.) They found four springs of delicious water 
and plenty of fowl and deer. The third day of their trip, 
while they were on the way back, Bradford had an amusing 
experience. He was caught in a trap for deer made by the 
Indians by simply bending a sapUng. Though they had 
many interesting things to tell on their return — think 
how those boys and girls on the ship must have listened — 
they could not report that they had found a place for a 
settlement. Their second exploring trip brought them no 
nearer a decision. 

Ten days later the third exploring party left the May- 
flower. There were eighteen of them in all, ten of whom 
were Pilgrims who, though they '' were appointed,^' '^ of 
themselves v/ere wiUing to go '' — Standish, Carver, 
Bradford, Winslow, Howland and others, besides two sea- 
men, two mates, the master gunner and three sailors. It 
was so cold that the spray froze on the clothes of the party 
and " made them many times like coats of iron.'' They 
landed for the night. The next day they spent exploring, 
but found nothing. The third morning as they were about 
to set out in the shallop, they were startled by loud war- 
whoops, a cry of ^^ Men, Indians! Indians! " and a shower 



STEPPING-STONES 25 

of arrows. Captain Standish quickly fired off his musket, 
and after a few anxious minutes, the Indians vanished as 
suddenly as they had come. No harm was done, except 
to the coats hanging up in their shelter; these were shot 
through and through with arrows. 

After they had gone some little distance in the shallop, 
it began to snow and rain and the wind grew stronger. 
By the afternoon the sea was very rough indeed. To make 
matters worse, the rudder broke and two men had to steer 
the boat with oars. The mast split into three pieces and 
had to be cut loose from the ship lest it capsize. It grew 
darker and darker. They were being driven before the 
wind, whither they could not see. The sound of breakers 
warned them they were near the shore. They thought 
they were indeed lost. Here, Bradford tells us, that 
^^ a lusty seaman which steered bade those that rowed if 
they were men about with her, or else they were all cast 
away, the which they did with speed. So he bid them be 
of good cheer and row lustily; for there was a faire wind 
before them and he doubted not but that they should find 
one place or other where they might ride in safety. And 
tho it was very dark and rained sore, yet in the end they 
got under the lee of a small island and remained there all 
night in safety. '' Of this same event Winslow writes, 
" Still the Lord kept us, and we bare up for an island before 
us; and recovering that island, being compassed about with 
many rocks, and dark night growing upon us, it pleased 
divine Providence that we fall upon a piece of sandy ground 
where our shallop did ride safe and secure all that night.'' 
Bradford's account goes on: ^^ Tho this had been a day and 
a night of much trouble and danger unto them, yet God 
gave them a morning of comfort and refresliing — as 
usually He does to His children — for the next day was 



26 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

a fair, sunshining day and they found themselves to be 
on an island secure from the Indians where they might dry 
their stuff, fix their pieces and rest themselves. . . . This 
being the last day of the week, they prepared there to keep 
the Sabbath/' 

It would surely seem as though these people might have 
befen pardoned had they continued to explore instead of 
observing Sunday. Captain Jones did not approve of 
spending so much time and being so critical of the places 
where they must settle, and was threatening to put them 
and their goods ashore and return to England. They 
must work quickly for every day was precious and their 
supplies were rapidly growing less. Winter was upon them; 
they must get their houses built. Many of their friends 
were ill, some had died. The land they had come to ex- 
plore lay right before them. They had rested in the warm, 
bright sunshine of Saturday and made everything ready for 
their further going on. No one would know even if they 
should not observe the day. Yet they quietly and loyally 
lived up to their convictions. 

Building New Homes 

On Monday morning, December 21, they explored the 
mainland. It is not hard to imagine the joy with which 
they discovered that the harbor was fit for shipping, that 
there was a great quantity of land already cleared where 
corn had once been planted, and that there were many Httle 
running brooks that would give good drinldng water. 
Captain Standish, of course, would be the one to notice 
that this location was protected on the east by the harbor, 
on the south by a great brook in a deep ravine, and on the 
west by a steep hill where, by planting their cannon, they 
could protect the harbor. Tuesday they set forth for the 



STEPPING-STONES 27 

ship, eager to tell the good news. How the hearts of the 
men must have been full with the thoughts of the homes 
they would now begin to build! Poor William Bradford! 
The first news they learned on their return was that Mistress 
Dorothy Bradford had fallen overboard and been drowned. 
It was a sad return for him. He met it with an '' answera- 
ble courage.'' 

On consulting their map, it was found that this place had 
been called Plymouth by Captain John Smith. Here they 
decided to go, and on Saturday, December 26th, they 
anchored in the harbor and called it ^^ New Plymouth.'' 
After resting on Sunday they spent Monday and Tuesday 
in further exploring. Though some rather favored the 
island and others a site further up on the river, they de- 
cided on settling on the land because of the '' high ground," 
the '^ deal of cleared land," the ^^good harbor," the " de- 
licious springs " and '^ sweet brooks " which ^' promised 
much good fish in their season." They found plenty of 

I fowl too. 

That night a party decided to stay ashore and have 

I those on the ship join them in the morning and begin work 
at once, but severe storms kept them apart so that it was 
Saturday, January 2, before all could go ashore and begin 
to cut down and carry the trees with which they were to 

I build their houses, and gather other material for building. 
It was hard work, a very commonplace sort of daily 
drudgery, this. Yet it was the next thing they had to do. 
Probably they did not think they were doing a momentously 
great work; they thought they were just at last really 
going to build their homes. Yet in fact they were laying 
the foundations of a great nation, becoming indeed as Brad- 
ford told us they had hoped they might, ^'as stepping-stones 
unto others for the performing of a great work." 



28 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

They planned to build eighteen or nineteen houses, on 
either side of a street running back from the shore to the 
hill. Each family was to build its own house, and the single 
men were assigned to different famihes. Besides this 
there was to be a common house to be used as a shelter, 
a meeting-place, and a storehouse for their goods. They 
set about putting this up at once. It was twenty feet 
square, built of logs and thatched. This caught fire and 
was burned. It took them a month to complete it on 
account of all the accidents and sickness that followed. 
Only seven of the houses were built that winter, for the 
first had to be used as a hospital. 

A Winter of Suffering 

Sickness came suddenly upon them. During Decem- 
ber six died; in January, eight; in February, seventeen; 
in March, thirteen. Out of the one hundred and one 
people there had been at first, including women and 
children, fifty-one were left at the end of the winter. 
It is not hard to understand why. In the first place, 
their hfe had been hard while they were crowded to- 
gether on the ship. Then had followed all the exposures 
and hardships of landing on an uninhabited shore in the 
winter. They were unused to outdoor life, for during 
their stay in Holland they had worked indoors. Be- 
sides all this, they had not been well fed, nor were they 
sufficiently clothed, and they had waded ashore from 
the ship each time they had landed, had tramped the 
snow in rain and sleet, and slept out of doors in wet 
clothes. The houses were not well enough built to be 
really comfortable and warm. There were so many of 
them sick at a time that often only seven were well 
enough to care for the rest. Elder Brewster, Miles 



STEPPING-STONES 29 

Standish, and Dr. Fuller were their great comfort. One 
of the saddest parts of their tale is the fact that of the 
eighteen mothers and wives, only five Uved through the 
year. This giving of themselves by these Pilgrim 
mothers must be remembered with the heroism of their 
husbands. The five who survived bore the burden of 
caring for the children and the men, performing the 
daily tasks, and making beautiful homes; by their quiet 
courage and devotion they win our love and admiration. 

New Neighbors 

There was great anxiety too on account of their In- 
dian neighbors. They levelled off and trampled the 
burial places of their companions, lest the Indians see 
how great had been their losses, and how few people 
remained. Frequent glimpses were reported of Indians 
skulking on the outskirts of the clearing. One day 
some tools which the men had left in the woods were 
taken by the Indians. Captain Standish was glad when 
finally the platform had been built on the hill above 
the settlement and the cannon mounted on it. With 
this fear constantly before them, their surprise may be 
imagined when one day an Indian walked into their 
midst saying, in Enghsh, '^ Welcome, Englishmen.^' 
This was Samoset. To the men crowding about him in 
amazement, he said that he had learned a little Enghsh 
from the sailors who had been fishing along the coast 
and that the place where the Pilgrims had settled had be- 
longed to the Patuxets, a tribe which had been wiped out 
by a plague several years before. He told them of 
Massasoit, the grand sachem of the Cape Cod Indians. 
In a day or two Samoset returned bringing with him five 
Indians of Massasoit's tribe who brought beaver skins 



30 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

to sell and a message that Massasoit planned a visit 
to the colony. A few days later, he came again, bring- 
ing with him Squanto, the only survivor of the Patuxet 
tribe. He had been kidnapped and taken to England, 
where he had learned a httle Enghsh, and he had re- 
turned by and by with another expedition. Samoset 
said that Massasoit was on his way. There was great 
anxiety. Finally Winslow volunteered to go to confer 
with him, even though all felt he was going into great 
danger. Cordially inviting Massasoit to visit the set- 
tlement, he stayed with the Indians beyond the brook 
while the chief went on to the town with some of his 
warriors. The colonists treated him most courteously. 
Then they made a treaty that was kept faithfully, 
promising that they would aid each other in time of war, 
and that individuals of either side who should harm any 
of^the other should be punished. 

Good-bye to the Mayflower 

By this time it was April and the Mayflower was 
ready to return to England. Not one of those who had 
endured so much, and who must still face so much, 
asked to go back. From the hill back of the town, this 
brave company watched the little ship hoist anchor and 
set sail for England. Sickness, death, hunger, cold, 
hard work, unceasing work, loneliness, lack of comfort 
were not sufl&cient to compel them to cease following 
the gleam which had led them to that place. They had 
again ^' committed themselves unto the Lord and re- 
solved to proceed.'' They turned quietly back to their 
daily tasks. Later on in the month John Carver died, 
and WilUam Bradford, though still weak and sick with 
the fever, was chosen governor in his place. Except for 



STEPPING-STONES 31 

a few years, he continued to be their governor till his 
death. 

An Indian Friend 

Squanto now came to live with them. He seemed to 
take them under his protection, teaching them much 
that was of great aid. He showed them how to catch 
fish and eels in the Town brook, how and when to plant 
the Indian corn they had found in November. _ Without 
his aid they would have died. During the summer 
Winslow and Hopkins, guided by Squanto, visited Mas- 
sasoit and further won his friendship, and later Standish 
under the same guidance explored Massachusetts Bay, 
as Boston harbor was then called. Squanto long re- 
mained their friend and years afterward, when dying, 
asked them to pray that he might go to the white man's 
God. 

Struggling, yet Giving Thanks 

In the fall they harvested their small crop and laid 
up supplies for winter, at the same time preparing wood 
to send back to England. During this first year they 
had laid the foundations of a democratic state. They 
had chosen their governor and made laws, begun to 
trade with the Indians, made treaties with them, and 
begun to train a militia. Their crops, thanks to Squanto, 
had been fairly successful. No wonder then that Gover- 
nor Bradford set aside a time for giving thanks for all 
the goodness of God to them. He sent four men out 
after fowl and invited Massasoit and some ninety men to 
share their feast. While the warriors looked on, the 
men drilled and enjoyed games of strength. This was 
the first Thanksgiving. 



32 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

Dauntless Heroes 

The account of the later struggles and successes of 
this little colony is extremely interesting. It would be 
inspiring to follow it. However, the experiences of the 
first year are enough to show the dauntless spirit of 
these Pilgrims. They were indeed stepping-stones unto 
others performing a great work. No doubt the Puritans 
would have come to New England eventually; they were 
the readier to embark because the Pilgrims had succeeded 
in their undertaking. Some one has said that while 
seeking religious freedom, they estabhshed civil Uberty 
— ^^ meaning only to found a church, gave birth to a 
nation, and in settUng a town, commenced an empire.'^ 

TO THE PUPIL 

You will find William Bradford's Historie of Plimouih Plantation 
a very interesting account of the adventures of the Pilgrims. The 
quotations in tliis chapter are from that book. 

QUESTIONS 

1. What made Bradford and his friends leave Holland? 

2. What made going to America such an adventure? 

3. What difficulties did the Pilgrims have in preparing for their 
journey? 

4. Tell their experiences on the voyage. 

5. With what spirit did the Pilgrims meet danger and difficulty? 
Would this make them good pioueers in a great adventure? 

6. How did the Pilgrims decide to govern their colony? In what 
way is their form of government like that of the Boy Scouts or 
Camp Fire Girls? 

7. Pretending you were one of the people on the first exploring 
party, tell of your adventures as you might have reported them that 
night on your return to the Mayflower cabin. 

8. What adventures did the third party have? For what do you 
admire these men? 



STEPPING-STONES 33 

9. Why did the Pilgrims settle at Plymouth? 

10. How did they begin to carry out the plans for the colony? 

11. What hard things did they endure that winter? 

12. Why did they not give up and go back to England? 

13. How did they make friends with the Indians? 

14. Can you tell how it was that the Pilgrims did indeed become, 
as Bradford hoped they would, " stepping-stones to others "? 



Ill 

MARCHING FORWARD 

^' One who never turned his back but nriarched breast forward ; 
Never doubted clouds would break.'' 

— Brmoning. 

While the Pilgrims at Plymouth were busy about the 
humdrum daily tasks by which they were nevertheless 
laying the foundations of a new state, the great ad- 
venture for democracy was going forward in England 
also. 

John Winthrop — Traitor? 

John Winthrop was surely one '^ who never turned 
his back but marched breast forward/' He became 
leader of a great enterprise for which today he is greatly 
honored. Yet in his own time because he chose to 
follow this way of life, the majority of people thought 
of him otherwise. '' All experience tells me," he wrote, 
^' that in this way there is least companie, and those 
who doe walk openlye in this way shal be despised, 
pointed at, hated of the world, made a byeword, re- 
viled, slandered, rebuked, made a gazinge-stock, called 
puritans, nice fools, hipocrites, hairbrainde fellows, rashe, 
indiscreet, vain-glorious, and all that naught is.'' John 
Winthrop had chosen to be a Puritan. In his time it 
was a term of reproach, equal almost to traitor. He, with 
others who agreed with him, dared to defy the power 
of the king. The king decreed that, just as it was 
blasphemous to dispute God's power, so it was pre- 



MARCHING FORWARD 35 

sumptuous for a subject to dispute a king's power. 
They dared to say that his power on earth was not the 
same as God's, and that he had no divine right to rule. 
They declared that all power and authority were from 
the people and that it was their right to act as their 
consciences and the law of God directed. The judges 
declared that such disputes would lead to rebellion and 
must be forbidden. It was the subject's duty to obey; 
the people had no power and authority. The University 
of Oxford even went so far as to state that it was never 
lawful to take up arms against princes. 

The Puritans, however, kept on demanding reforms 
whenever Parliament met. As Parliament included 
many Puritans in its membership, it refused to vote 
supplies until reforms were granted. The king finally 
tried to get on without Parliament. Needing money, 
however, and kings by divine right seemed to need a 
great deal, the king was compelled to summon it, but 
forbade it to discuss affairs of state. Then the Puritans 
became more fearless than before and boldly announced 
that they had the i^ght to speak freely. When the king 
tried to raise money in illegal ways, the Puritans re- 
fused to pay these taxes. For doing this and for pub- 
licly declaring their principles, they were fined and im- 
prisoned. John Winthrop burned with indignation over 
the cruel and unjust treatment given to his friend. Sir 
John Eliot. Their ministers suffered too. They were 
compelled to leave their pulpits and forbidden to preach 
either in open fields or private houses, to teach school, 
to practise medicine, or engage in business. Yet facing 
all this, they never turned their backs but marched 
breast forward. John Winthrop began to feel that 
something more must be done. He longed for a way of 



36 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

escape, the opportunity to build up a state whose laws 
were based upon those of the Bible. There seemed no 
possibiHty of gaining this in England. Why not go 
elsewhere, to Ireland, perhaps, and there lay the founda- 
tions? Yet, no, not to Ireland. Why not to America? 
Three years before the Separatists had gone. News 
had come of their success in beginning anew. Might 
they not do the same? Others to whom he spoke of his 
plan agreed that the adventure might be wise. 

Pioneers 

The very first Puritan settlement was made by a 
company of fishermen on Cape Ann. This was begun 
in 1624 with Roger Conant as superintendent for the 
Dorchester Company. In the second year, the company 
gave it up and most of them went back to England. 
Roger Conant then wrote to John White, a Puritan 
minister who was the chief patron of the company, that 
a better place for a colony was Naumkeag (afterwards 
called Salem). So to Salem in September, 1628, came 
Captain John Endecott with his wife and forty others 
sent out by the '^ Company of Massachusetts Bay,'' 
which under White's leadership had been organized that 
year in England. Their first winter was very hard. 
There was not sufficient shelter, nor food, and conse- 
quently there was severe sickness. Captain Endecott 
sent to Plymouth for help and Governor William Brad- 
ford responded by sending their kind Dr. Fuller. The 
letter of thanks which Governor Endecott wrote Gover- 
nor Bradford when Dr. Fuller returned in the spring 
has fortunately been preserved. In it he tells of his 
gratitude for Dr. Fuller's comfort and care. Moreover 
he added that Dr. Fuller's explanation of their form of 



MARCHING FORWARD 37 

church worship and government had convinced him that 
it was right. Thus the colony of the Puritans at Salem 
and that of Separatists at Plymouth were brought to 
understand each other. 

The next year the Massachusetts Company sent out six 
vessels bearing nearly four hundred persons, besides live 
stock and equipment. Four ministers were of the com- 
pany, for the Massachusetts Bay Company was planting 
a Christian colony and hoping to Christianize the Indians. 
When it came time to form a church, the people elected 
Mr. Shelton as pastor and Mr. Higginson as leader and 
entered into a covenant with each other which read, so 
far as it has been preserved, as follows: ^^We covenant 
with the Lord and one with another, and do bind ourselves 
in the presence of God to walk together in all His ways 
according as He is pleased to reveal Himself unto us in 
His blessed Word of Truth.'' This church was founded 
just as the Scrooby Church had been. This was the second 
Congregational Church in America, the first one which 
was organized here. On the day set apart for publicly 
installing the ministers by prayer and laying hands on them. 
Governor Bradford and others from Plymouth came up to 
extend the '^ right hand of fellowship." 

A Daring Plan 

Shortly after the Salem colony had left England, John 
Winthrop made a new proposal. This was that, provided 
the charter of the Massachusetts Company could be taken 
across the seas with them, certain of the chief men of the 
company and their families themselves should undertake a 
settlement. He was willing to be one of the adventurers. 
After much discussion it was decided that the charter 
could be carried to America and Winthrop's suggestion 



38 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

should be followed. He was chosen governor of the 
company. 

A storm of protest now rose from Winthrop's less brave 
and far-seeing friends: ^^ Your church and your country 
need you at home. You are one of our leaders here, and 
here all your friends wish you to remain. Besides you 
are now more than forty years old, quite too old to under- 
take so uncertain an enterprise. Consider now. You 
have hved in wealth and ease; have not been brought up 
to a life in the wilderness. You are risking j^our whole 
fortune, too, and surely you will not be selfishly unmindful 
of your family and let them endure the hardships which 
you will certainly meet.'' 

A Man of Courage 

But John Winthrop, in spite of all these arguments, 
renewed over and over again, remained loyal to his convic- 
tion that God would have him lead this people across the 
sea where a state and a church might be established ac- 
cording to his holy laws. Yet he carried a very heavy 
heart. His dear wife Margaret could not go with him. 
They must be separated for a time. They hoped she soon 
might follovr him. They trusted in God's care. He wrote 
her: ^^ Seeinge he calls me into his worke, he will have care 
of thee and all ours and our affairs in my absence ; there 
fore I must send thee to him for all thou lackest; goe boldly 
(sweet wife) to the throne of Grace; if anything trouble 
thee acquainte the Lord with it." In reply Margaret 
wrote: ^^ My good Husband cheare up thy hart in the 
expectation of God's goodness to us, and let nothing dismay 
and discourage thee; if the Lord be with us, who can be 
against us." It is not any wonder that Winthrop repUed, 
^^ Blessed be God who hath given me a wife who is such a 



I 



MARCHING FORWARD 39 

helpe and incouragement to me in this greate worked' 
Margaret^s encouragement and the loyalty of his eldest 
son John and the feeling that he was obedient to God^s will 
helped him in all the busy days of the five months that 
were left before the company was to set sail. He had funds 
to raise, ships to provide, supplies to purchase, ministers 
and a doctor to choose, his own estate to sell and his affairs 
to settle, and consultations of the Massachusetts Bay Com- 
pany to hold so that he would be able to govern well when 
they at length reached Salem. 

At last all preparations were completed and with Mar- 
garet's two little boys, Stephen and Adam, he set forth. 
From the ship, the Arbella, while they were at anchor at 
Cowes just before they left, he sent Margaret his farewell: 
*' And now, my sweet soul, I must again take my last fare- 
well of thee in Old England. It goeth very near my heart 
to leave thee, but I know to whom I have committed thee 
even to Him who loves thee better than any husband can, 
who can, and (if it be for his glory) will bring us together 
again with peace and comfort. Oh how it refresheth my 
heart to think I shall yet again see thy sweet face in the 
land of the living. . . . Therefore I will only take thee now 
and my sweet children in mine arms, and kiss and embrace 
you all and so leave you with God.'' These quotations 
from the letters of John Winthrop reveal the spirit of the 
man, his high faith, unfaltering courage, tenderness, and 
thought for others. 

Who were the Puritans ? 

It was such folk as he who followed the gleam that 
shone across the sea. They represented the rank, wealth, 
beauty, chivalry, learning, accomplishment, and genius of 
the time. They were not as a class rude or ungraceful. 



40 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

They enjoyed good music and art and the harmless gaiety 
and sport of EngUsh country life. Their sternness was the 
result of their struggle to maintain truth and establish 
righteousness. They stood for godly living and condemned 
only what they came to feel would prevent that. They had 
very high ideals for the good of the state. For them they 
would sacrifice much. There was never a group of colon- 
ists among whom were so many university-trained men 
who were the very choicest spirits of their times. 

Beginning to Build 

Their voyage was not without excitement. Those were 
days of conflict on the sea, and when eight strange sails bore 
down upon them, the women and children went below, 
while the decks were made ready for action. It was a false 
alarm, however. At last on the seventy-second day of their 
voyage, signs of land began to appear — the warm fra- 
grance of cedar and sweet fern, '' a smell of the shore like 
the smell of a garden.^' Four days later they arrived and 
most of the people went ashore and ^^ gathered store of 
fine strawberries.^' 

When they reached Salem, however, they found to their 
dismay a state of things not at all like that which the en- 
thusiastic reports of the colony the year before had led 
them to expect. They learned that eighty of them had 
died during the winter, that those who were aHve were 
weak and sick, and that there was food enough to last them 
all for only two weeks. Now Governor Winthrop thought 
of the thousand people with him who must be fed, and for 
whom shelters must be built before winter. He acted 
promptly, sending the ship Lyon back to England for pro- 
visions. '' And the governor presently fell to worke with 
his owne hands and thereby soe encouraged the rest that 



MARCHING FORWARD 41 

there was not an idle person to be found in the whole 
plantation/' This is the entry he records in his journal. 

Facing Disaster 

Governor Winthrop did not like the location at Salem. 
After exploring a little he and his company moved down to 
Massachusetts Bay, settling in different small groups at 
Charlestown, Watertown, Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mai- 
den. Then began the clearing of the land and the building 
of rude houses and shelters. Sickness unfortunately soon 
broke out, and the work of making ready for winter was 
sadly interrupted. By December, twenty people had died. 
Winter came on. The piercing east winds, the frosts, and 
the heavy snows chilled them. Before them lay the dreary 
ocean, in back of them and on either hand was the forest. 
Provisions lessened. At low tide they gathered clams 
and mussels; with these and acorns, they tried to make 
their scanty corn-meal last. No doubt they wondered 
where were the plentiful fowl and game and fish and corn 
of which such glowing reports had been made. No wonder 
that some went home to England. To add to their distress 
there was but one spring at Charlestown and this could not 
be reached except at low tide. At last, at the invitation of 
an EngUshman who had been living all alone on the penin- 
sula then called Shawmut (now Boston), where there were 
plenty of springs, Winthrop and the colonists moved over. 

A Strong Man of God 

The hard winter wore on. Governor Winthrop was the 
stay of the colony. Many are the stories told by his 
fellow sufferers of his unselfishness and bravery, of his 
courage and endurance, of his devotion to them all and to 
their common cause in this tragic time. Yet not a word 



42 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

of all this appears in Governor Winthrop's letters or journal. 
He writes Margaret courageously, '' I thank God I Hke 
so well to be here as I do not repent my coming, and if I 
were to come again I would not have altered my course 
though I had foreseen all.'' Others fortunately tell us of 
the Governor's deeds, among them the story that the 
Governor gave the very last of his own stores to a needy 
man. Fortunately it was on the very day when the sail 
of the Lyon returning from England was later seen coming 
up the harbor. One Thomas Wiggin writes thus of him: 
^^ As for the Governor himself e, I have observed him to be 
a discreete and sober man, givinge good example to all the 
planters, wearing plaine apparell such as may well beseeme 
a plane man, drinking ordinarilie water, and when he is not 
conversant with matters of justice, putting his hand to any 
ordinarye labour with his servants, ruling with much 
mildness." He was evidently the man of a thousand to be 
leader of the colony. 

The Colony's Church 

Two events of this first winter, besides their removal 
from Charlestown to the site which is now called Boston, 
must be recorded. Just after they had reached Charles- 
town, Governor John Winthrop, Deputy-Governor Dudley, 
the Rev. John Wilson and Isaac Johnson by entering into 
a covenant with each other organized a church, and a few 
days later all its members entered into the covenant and 
chose Mr. Wilson teacher. This was practically what the 
Salem folk had done the year before, in organizing a church 
as the Separatists had done. The other plantations or- 
ganized churches in the same way. Thus it came about 
that all the early churches of Massachusetts were like the 
church organized at Scrooby and now at Plymouth. They 



MARCHING FORWARD 43 

had not been, as the Pilgrims had been, Separatists on 
principle, but they became like them by the very fact of 
their emigrating to America and adjusting themselves to 
the new conditions. From this time on the churches 
were neither Separatist nor Puritan. All were Congre- 
gational. By 1632 there were seven in the colony of 
Massachusetts Bay. 

A *' Bible Commonwealth " 

Just as prompt were these settlers to estabhsh the civil 
government. John Winthrop, though holding the office 
of governor under the charter and patent, was elected their 
governor, and the Court of Assistants was put into opera- 
tion. Some of their early law-making was important. So 
many of the colonists, 118, appUed for admission to the 
hst of freemen that there was great dismay at this great 
number of voters. So they decided that the free men might 
elect the Assistants and the Assistants the Governor and 
Deputy-Governor, and that this body was to govern. 
Next year (1631) a rule was made that the Assistants in 
office should keep their office until they were removed for a 
cause, and that ^' to the end that the body of commons 
may be preserved of good and honest men, for time to 
come no man shall be admitted of the freedom of this body 
politic but such as are members of some of the churches.'' 
The people agreed to this because their leaders and 
ministers thought it was right and necessary. And indeed 
those who planned it were most sincere and unselfish in 
thinking it necessary if they were to accomplish their 
purpose of founding a ^^ Bible Commonwealth.'' 

A Day of Thanksgiving 

In the Governor's journal for 1631 we find these 
entries : 



44 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

" Nov. 2. The ship Lyon, WiUiam Peirce, Master, 
arrived at Natascot. There came in her the Governor's 
wife, his eldest son, and his wife, and others of his 
children, and Mr. Eliot, a minister, and other families, 
being in all about sixty persons, who all arrived in good 
health, having been ten weeks at sea, and lost none of 
their company but two children, whereof one was the 
Governor's daughter Ann, about one year and a half 
old, who died about a week after they came to sea. 

'^ Nov. 4. The Governor, his wife and children went 
on shore with Mr. Peirce in his ship's boat. The ship 
gave them six or seven pieces. At their landing, the 
captains, with their companions in arms, entertained 
them with guard, and divers volUes of shot and three 
drakes; and divers of the assistants and most of the 
people, of the near plantations came to welcome them, 
and brought and sent, for divers days, great store of 
provisions, as fat hogs, kid, venison, poultry, geese, 
partridges, so as the Hke joy and manifestation of love 
had never been seen in New England. It was a great 
marvel, that so many people and such a store of pro- 
visions could be gathered together at so few hours' 
warning. 

^' Nov. 11. We kept a day of Thanksgiving at 
Boston." 

Indeed it was a time of thanksgiving and rejoicing. 
From Plymouth came Governor Bradford with his con- 
gratulations and sympathy in person. 

Educational Ventures 

Although to follow the details of the lives of John 
and Margaret Winthrop in Boston and to recount the 
history of the colony in the later years would be in- 



MARCHING FORWARD 45 

spiring, only one or two points may be especially men- 
tioned. One of the splendid achievements of this colony 
was the founding of Harvard College. Only six years 
after the first colonists had arrived, they voted the 
amount of four hundred pounds for the founding of a 
college. Though the idea had probably originated with 
the ministers, this generosity shows that all must have 
been eager to give the young men the opportunities of 
education which so many of them had enjoyed, and 
which so many more wished to make possible for their 
sons. One of the earliest benefactors of the college was 
John Harvard, and for him, in 1638, the college was 
named. It was situated at Newtowne, which later 
was called Cambridge in honor of the University where 
so many of the men in the colony had studied. That 
this college was organized so soon and that in those 
years of hardship they should set aside so compara- 
tively large a sum is remarkable enough, but it becomes 
the more remarkable when we realize that this year of 
1636 was the year when the Massachusetts Bay Colony 
lost over a fourth of its population by emigration to 
Connecticut. Founding a college at a time hke this 
proves how greatly they valued education. 

The leaders of the colony also planned for the educa- 
tion of all the children in the colony. They realized 
that the success of their undertaking would depend on 
the intelUgence of the people. They were convinced 
that, as every individual was of great value to God, 
every individual should have a chance to become his 
best. It was an all-important matter that each in- 
dividual, therefore, should read God's word. So very 
early in the days of the colony they decreed that in 
every town where there were fifty families all the chil- 



46 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

dren should be taught to read and write. After the 
college was started, they decreed that in every town 
where there were one hundred famihes there must be a 
grammar school which should prepare for the university. 
In these schools the children of their Indian neighbors 
were freely taught, for the Puritans ever felt a responsi- 
biUty for their welfare. The results of such a system 
of general education were important. Because everyone 
was well informed and intelligent, he could and did take 
an interest in their common affairs. In the town meet- 
ings all freely discussed these mutual interests. In 
these town meetings where all had a voice can be found 
the beginning of the democratic government which we 
prize today. 

A Dark Chapter 

Another matter that must be mentioned is the treat- 
ment given by the Puritan settlers to Roger Williams, 
Mrs. Anne Hutchinson, the Quakers, and the so-called 
witches. For this the Puritans are called bigoted, in- 
tolerant, and inconsistent, as indeed they were. We 
deeply regret their action, yet if we call to mind their 
purpose in coming to America, we shall see how it came 
to pass. They had crossed the ocean to set up a state 
in which God's laws as revealed to them in the Bible 
were to be supreme. They did not allow for other in- 
terpretations. They felt that they rightly excluded from 
their colony all those persons who might disturb the 
welfare of the colony as a whole. On this basis Roger 
WilUams, Mrs. Hutchinson, and the Quakers were dealt 
with. As for witchcraft, their behef was not pecuHar 
to New England; they shared in the common errors of 
the time. 



MARCHING FORWARD 47 

The Leaders of the Colony 

In a commonwealth founded for such a purpose as 
was the colony of Massachusetts Bay, it is quite natural 
that among the leaders of public opinion the ministers 
of the Congregational churches should have had|an im- 
portant place. They were most highly educated and 
brilliant men, actively concerned in the welfare of the 
people by establishing a system of education and a 
democratic form of government, as well as by building 
up a church. Their sermons show how boldly they 
declared the rights and duties of free men. In the 
struggle against England which came to a climax in 
the War of Independence, the ministers took a leading 
part. Congregationalism was essentially democratic. As 
men formed themselves into churches and governed 
them, so they had formed themselves into states and 
governed them. As the ministers led, the people fol- 
lowed. In 1770, out of 339 churches in New England 
294 were Congregational, and at the close of the war 
there were 330 to 89 of all others. It seems evident 
that these Congregational churches helped to foster the 
intense love of freedom. The influence of the Congre- 
gational church was felt, too, in the formation of a 
federation of the colonies into one republic. As early 
as 1766 Jonathan Mayhew wrote to James Otis that as 
he had been thinking of the communion of the churches, 
he began to think of the great value there would be in 
a similar '' communion of colonies.'' 

The Puritan Spirit 

While the great contribution made by the Pilgrims 
who loyally followed their gleam was the establishing 
of a democratic church organization, the great achieve- 



48 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

ment of the Puritans, originating from the same deeply- 
earnest purpose to obey God's laws in all their details, 
was the founding of a state whose laws should be just 
and beneficial to all the people, and in accord with those 
of God. Though far from complete, yet this story 
surely makes plain the splendid loyalty of the Puritans 
to their ideals, their shining courage, their dauntless 
marching forward, in spite of obstacles, never turning 
back, their faith that never held though the right were 
worsted wrong would triumph. 

TO THE PUPIL 
John Winthrop, by Joseph Hopkins Twitchell, and Margaret Win- 
thropy by AKce Morse Earle, give accounts of these two brave- 
hearted Puritans and the stirring times in which they Uved. Read 
them if you want further information about old Boston, too. 

QUESTIONS 

1. Why did people call John Winthrop " traitor "? 

2. How were Puritans treated? 

3. Tell about the first Puritan settlement. 

4. Where was the first Congregational church organized in x\m- 
erica located? 

5. What plan did John Winthrop propose for carrying out their 
ideal? 

6. In what ways was it hard for him to carry out his plan? 

7. What kind of people came with Winthrop? 

8. How did they spend their first winter in Massachusetts Bay? 

9. Do you think John Winthrop made a good leader? Why? 

10. How did Puritans and Separatists finally come to agree? 

11. How did the Puritans govern their colony? In what way 
was their form of government different from that of the Pilgrims? 

12. Suppose you were one of the Governor's sons, Stephen or 
Adam; tell about the first Thanksgiving in Boston and why you 
were thankful. 

13. Why did the Puritans beUeve in education and how did they 
show they thought it was so important? 

14. What made the Puritans so intolerant? 
14. What was the spirit of the Puritana? 



IV 
FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA 

'^ Oh, beautiful for pilgrim feet 

Whose stern, impassioned stress 
A thoroughfare for freedom beat 
Across the wilderness! '' 

^' America! America! 

God shed his grace on thee 
And crown thy good with brotherhood 
From sea to shining sea.'' 

— Katharine Lee Bates. 

The Puritans' Grant 

When King James of England gave the " Great 
Patent '^ under which the Pilgrims came to America, 
thus giving the land ^^ in length, by all the breadth 
aforesaid, throughout the main land from sea to sea,'^ 
little did he dream that this strip of land extended 
thousands of miles. We are often much amused at the 
comparison of the portion of land settled by the Pil- 
grims themselves with that which by this title they 
claimed. Yet do you know that, although it is amazing, 
it is nevertheless true that the Pilgrims and the Puritans 
through their descendants really do possess the land from 
sea to sea? Wherever they went, you see, they took 
their love of liberty, their desire for education, their love 
of good government, their desire to serve mankind. 
Their ideals became those of this great land. 

It would be quite impossible in so short a space to 
tell the full story of their march westward, to recount 



50 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

all the brave deeds done, the hard things patiently 
endured, the splendid things accomplished; but America 
is indeed beautiful because these pilgrims beat a thor- 
oughfare for freedom across the wilderness. In this 
chapter and the next, the stories of only a few of these 
brave adventurers can be told. 

Westward ho! 

In 1633 the people of Newtowne (the town which 
later was named Cambridge) wanted to move west. 
^^ We have not enough land,'' they explained, ^^ nor 
sufficient meadow in which to pasture our cattle. Let 
us go west. Let us go to Connecticut. That is larger 
and more fruitful than it is here on the bank of the 
Charles. Besides it would be very dangerous to have 
the Dutch or the English church party settle there. 
Let us move! '' Their neighbors in Boston and Charles- 
town were amazed. *' Move west! '' they exclaimed. 
'^ Don't do that. We'll give you more land if that is 
all you want." Thus they were persuaded to let the 
matter drop for a while. '^ But," as one of the writers 
of that early day tells us, ^^ the strong bent of their 
spirits to remove thither did not disappear." Other 
reasons than the lack of land ^' did more secretly and 
powerfully drive on the business." The real reason was 
this. It was the beUef of Thomas Hooker, their min- 
ister, that all the people should have a voice in deciding 
matters that concerned them, that is, that all the people 
should have the right of voting for those who made the 
laws. This was not the case in the colony of Massa- 
chusetts Bay of which Newtowne was a part. Only 
members of the church could be voters. But neither 
Governor Winthrop nor John Cotton, the famous min- 



FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA 51 

ister of Boston, could persuade Hooker that such govern- 
ment as this was the kind required by God's will for 
men. He was ready to dare and do anything to carry 
out God's will, and his church beheved with him and 
were willing to follow him. 

Courageous Pioneers 

So again in the winter of 1635 and 1636 Hooker and 
the Newtowne people petitioned to be allowed to move. 
This time permission was granted and all began to make 
preparations for the adventure. One bitter cold day 
the dwellers in Newtowne were startled by the appear- 
ance of a band of twelve strangers who came down the 
Indian trail from the westward. Almost exhausted they 
sank in the snow on the steps of the meeting-house. 
When they picked them up, they were amazed to find 
they were some of their friends who had gone the sum- 
mer before from Watertown to begin life in the far- 
away Connecticut. Warmed and fed and somewhat 
restored to strength, they were led to Hooker's cabin, 
and there, before the glow and warmth of the fire, told 
their tale of the awful hardships the colony had en- 
dured. " Exceeding difficult it was," they said, ^^ to 
cross the mountains, to pass over the swamps, to ford 
the rivers with our horses, cattle, and swine. So long 
were we in this miserable task of getting the cattle 
across that winter overtook us. Snow lay deep; the 
rivers were frozen. We were without huts or houses 
and had little time to prepare them or to build sheds 
for our cattle. Our furniture and extra provisions, 
which, you recall, we had not carried with us through 
the pathless wilderness, but had sent round by sea, never 
came. We waited for them anxiously. Before Decern- 



52 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

ber was over all our provisions failed. It was famine 
and death we faced if we waited there, or, again, the 
difficulty of the long, long trail back to the colony. 
Driven by hunger, some of us started back, and helped 
by kindl}' Indians, we twelve, of all those who set 
forth with us, are here. May God keep the rest! '' A 
deep hush fell upon those who hstened, and their hearts 
were heavy with sorrow for their friends. Later on 
during the winter came still others of the party, who 
told how they had endured the hunger as long as pos- 
sible, yet how they too had reached a day when they 
had been forced to set out, going down the river to 
meet the provision ships. Though they had not found 
these, they fortunately had come upon an abandoned 
ship, ice-bound near the mouth of the river. On her 
they had escaped. Some few they had left behind. 
These might even now be dead — starved or kiUed by 
the Indians. 

This would seem to be enough to dishearten the New- 
towne people, yet they went right on with their prep- 
arations for departure. '^ It is not with us,'' Bradford 
had written of the Pilgrims and their enterprise, '^ as 
with men whom small things can discourage.'' So 
Hooker might have written of his people as they packed 
up their goods and sold their houses to newcomers in 
the colony in preparation for their adventure. In early 
spring, as soon as travehng would permit, those who 
had wandered back during the winter, dauntlessly set 
forth again, and ^^ many who had not removed the last 
year prepared, T\ith all convenient dispatch, for a journey 
to the new settlements." Danger and difficulty only 
challenged their spirits to greater effort and more heroic 
endurance. 



. FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA 53 

The Hartford Settlement 

It was the last of May before Hooker and his party, 
about one hundred men, women and children, set out 
through the wilderness along the old Indian trail to the 
west. Probably this is the very route now traveled in 
three hours by the railroad from Boston to Springfield 
and down the Connecticut River to Hartford, but it 
took Hooker's party two weeks. During the day, guided 
by a compass they made their way through the woods 
over the mountains, through swamps and thickets, and 
across rivers. By night they camped in the woods. 
Very careful guard had to be set, for at any time 
hostile Indians might break through the thickets upon 
them with their fearful war-whoops and murderous 
tomahawks. Always, also, was there danger of wild 
beasts. They had with them 160 head of cattle, and 
glad as they must have been of having the milk to use, 
they must have found them no end of trouble. Every- 
one had to take a turn at driving them as well as at 
carrying the packs and utensils. It was especially hard 
for these people, for they were men and women used to 
all the ease and refinement of that period, unaccustomed 
to such fatigue as they now endured and unused to 
danger. Mrs. Hooker herself was so ill that she had to 
be carried on a litter. Yet at length they reached Hart- 
ford, where they settled, the other comers going to the 
settlements that are now Windsor and Wethersfield. 
Glad they must have been to have arrived. 

Their hard work was not over, however; in fact the 
hardest part of it was just beginning. First of all, of 
course, the woods had to be cleared and timber made 
ready out of which to build their log cabins and the 
shelters for the cattle. Then the soil had to be culti- 



54 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

vated and crops planted, while roads connecting the 
three settlements had to be built. Besides this, the men 
had to organize themselves into militia and drill. They 
were in constant fear of the Indians, keeping watch day 
and night and carrying their arms to work and to church. 
They could not hunt or fish or work in the fields or 
travel except at the peril of their lives. '* They lay 
down and rose up in fear and in danger.'' Although 
during that first year they suffered from exposure to 
cold in their poorly built houses and from lack of food 
as well as from attacks by the Indians against whom they 
had finally to make war, nothing could discourage them. 

A Famous Sermon 

Although at first the Connecticut colony remained 
under the government of Massachusetts Bay, the settlers 
did not forget why they had come or why they endured 
the hardships of these early years. By January, 1639, 
about two years after their arrival, all the settlers 
gathered at Hartford to draw up a constitution under 
the provisions of which they could draw up a govern- 
ment of their own. What an anxious heart must have 
been Thomas Hooker's as he stood before the Con- 
vention to preach the sermon. Would they base the 
laws of this new colony upon those principles for which 
he and they had dared and endured so much? In the 
fearless, straightforward manner in which he preached, 
he set forth what he considered those principles to be. 
Fortunately the record of Thomas Hooker's sermon that 
day has been preserved for us. One young man there 
present, Henry Wolcott, Jr., set down in his diary the 
outline of the address and some of Hooker's great state- 
ments. Here are some of them: 



FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA 55 

'' The foundation of authority is laid in the free con- 
sent of the people. '^ '' The choice of the magistrates 
belongs to the people by God's own allowance." '^ They 
who have the power to appoint officers and magistrates 
have the right to set the bounds and limitations of the 
power and place of those who are called. '^ '' The 
privilege of election which belongs to the people, there- 
fore, must not be exercised according to their humors, 
but according to the blessed will and law of God.'' 

The Father of American Democracy 

Happy indeed Thomas Hooker must have been when 
these principles of government became those on which 
the Constitution of the Connecticut Colony was founded. 
He had not labored in vain. But his sermon that day 
had even greater influence than this. Hooker had done 
just what he considered right. Little did he think that 
later ages would call him ^'The Father of American 
Democracy." Yet that is the title he deserves. ^' The 
government of the United States today is in lineal 
descent more nearly related to that of Connecticut than 
to any other of the thirteen colonies." So says the 
historian John Fiske, and this Constitution of Con- 
necticut in 1639 '^ marked the beginning of American 
Democracy, of which Thomas Hooker deserves more 
than any other man to be called the father." So you 
see the courageous Puritan minister one hundred and 
fifty years before the American Revolution stated the 
principles of government which underlie the Constitu- 
tion of the United States. His courageous endurance 
of danger and hardship in journeying west in order 
that he might express the beliefs about government he 
so strongly held, made possible, you see, that form of 



56 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

government which is the strength and the glory of 
America today — democracy. 



A Fighting Parson 

June 14, 1775, Manasseh Cutler sat down in his study 
to enter the events of the day in his diary. ^^ This day 
on Bunker Hill was fought an engagement between our 
forces and the British. The Redcoats were driven back 
with great losses. The sound of cannon could be dis- 
tinctly heard. '^ Then his pen stopped, and he gazed 
out of the window, his thoughts intent upon the great 
events of the day. Recalling himself with a great effort, 
he returned to his diary. ^^ Not disposed for study, '^ 
he wrote. Then he closed the book and left the room. 
Who could wonder that he felt so? Those were stirring 
times when great issues were at stake. Before he 
reached the door, he heard steps outside and neighbors' 
voices. Several members of his parish were there, eager 
to discuss with the minister the events of the day. For 
four years, ever since young Mr. Cutler had come to 
Ipswich, they had talked over with him the great ques- 
tions of those times. Much as they hated to fight 
against the mother country which all looked upon 
lovingly, still they knew that their rights as men to 
govern themselves were at stake. What had been the 
belief of a few brave men in Thomas Hooker's time was 
now the belief of all. England had taxed them without 
their consent. She had tried to force laws upon them 
which they had had no share in making. It was not 
right. They could not submit to such injustice. There 
was no course open to them now but warfare. Ever 
since that April day when the miUtia had driven back 



i 



FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA 57 

Lord Percy's men from Concord and Lexington, they had 
known that they must fight on until they won their point. 

'^ Well, friends,'' began the minister. 

^^ Is it true, sir, as report goes, that our miHtia had 
but little ammunition at this engagement? " 

^' Only too true, I am sorry to say," was Mr. Cutler's 
reply. 

'^ Then, sir, more must be supplied. What shall we 
do to aid? We have come to talk this over with you." 

That had been the very question which had bothered 
Mr. Cutler. Soon they were in deep discussion and 
many a day's entry in the minister's diary after that 
records that much of his time and money was spent in 
the manufacture of bullets. 

Often too he harnessed up his mare to the gig and 
drove into Boston to talk with the soldiers and en- 
courage them. Sometimes he preached to them. It is 
not surprising therefore to find him serving in two 
campaigns as army chaplain. In whatever way he 
could he did everything possible to help make victorious 
the struggle for democratic government. He believed 
heart and soul that it was the kind of government re- 
quired by God's will for men. When his parish grew 
so poor during those war times that it had hard work 
to pay his salary, he took up the study of medicine, 
supporting himself by his physician's practise while 
continuing his duties as minister. His greatest service 
however to the cause of democracy was rendered a little 
later. 

The Petition of the Soldiers 

You remember that Congress was poor, too, and had 
no money to pay the soldiers? How these men who 



58 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

had given their all in the fight should be cared for or 
rewarded perplexed many a man besides Dr. Cutler. 
Many of the officers hoped to get grants of land in what 
they called the Northwest Territory. This was the land, 
you know, which had been given the Federal authorities 
b}^ the various colonies of New England and New York, 
for it had been discovered that all, by their original 
charters, laid claim to the same strip of countr}\ 
Congress, on the other hand, did not grant the soldiers 
their request, for it hoped to sell this land and thus gain 
the money they so much needed to fill the Treasury. 
This was a discouragement, of course, yet when the 
army mustered out, ofl&cers and men ahke kept on 
dreaming of building a new state out in the great un- 
known Northwest. Yet being men of action, they did 
more than dream. As soon as they were able, they sent 
out one of their number to explore the land and report 
on it. He returned with such enthusiastic accounts, 
that at once they organized into the '' Ohio Company 
of Associates ^' and turned to various prominent men, 
among whom was Dr. Cutler, to assist them. 

Enlisting Aid 

Dr. Cutler, naturally, took a great interest in any 
plans that were to benefit those men who had fought 
to secure the liberties of them all. He gave them the 
best of his time and energy and influence. His efforts 
in raising money toward the fund they needed to start 
their enterprise were untiling, and he was glad he could 
contribute so much. In recognition of his ability and 
power for leadership, his friendship for them, and 
sj^mpathy with their principles, the Ohio Company made 
him their agent in going before Congress \\ith their plan. 



FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA 59 

Delighted to be of service, Dr. Cutler drove in his gig 
down to New York, where Congress then was assembled. 
The problem of paying the Revolutionary soldiers, 
and the problem of a form of government for this 
Northwest Territory vexed the delegates to Congress 
exceedingly. It is not hard to imagine the discouraged 
delegates sitting up in amazement as they listened to 
Dr. Cutler's proposals. ''' Gentlemen,'' we can imagine 
him saying very quietly, ^^ I am agent for the Ohio 
Company of Associates, composed, as you may know, of 
officers and men of the Continental Army. Our pro- 
posal is this: We stand ready to buy six or seven million 
acres of land in the Northwest Territory and go there 
ourselves to build up a new state. But we cannot go, 
sirs, ignorant of the laws which are to govern that new 
land. We have fought and helped to secure freedom. 
We are willing to begin over again in that unknown 
country, but we wish to be sure that our efforts will not 
be in vain, and that the new state there formed will be 
governed by those principles for which we risked our all." 

The Struggle with Congress 

Quite naturally, when confronted by this unusual offer. 
Congress undertook with new energy the forming of an 
ordinance. Many plans had been made previously and 
dropped. Now, the new laws were shown to Dr. Cutler. 
Though they were good, he said they did not include 
enough, and he suggested several amendments. These 
were provisions for the support of education and religion 
and those which forbade holding slaves. Dr. Cutler 
insisted on these amendments. One thirty-sixth of the 
land was to be used for supporting the church and the 
ministers; two townships were set aside as a foundation 



60 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

for a college and other means were to be provided in 
addition for other schools. ^' We cannot/' Dr. Cutler 
asserted, ^^ undertake this scheme until these matters 
are made sure, for we cannot build a state without 
God-fearing and educated men, and how shall our chil- 
dren become such without the church and the school? '^ 
Equally positive was he thai no slaves should be owned 
in that new land. These men who had fought for free- 
dom were not wilhng to own other people. 

The First Blow Against Slavery 

Just at this point the plan met opposition. The dele- 
gates to the Congress from the Southern colonies, where 
at that time slaves were held, refused to consider this 
prohibition of slavery. Many times it looked as if this 
scheme of the '' Ohio Company '' would have to be given 
up. Dr. Cutler insisted, in spite of opposition, that this 
amendment must be adopted, or they could not consider 
going. Although greatly discouraged about the final 
outcome, he kept right at his work of visiting the del- 
egates and pointing out to them the advantages of the 
scheme. To the Virginia delegates particularly, he was 
careful to emphasize the advantage it would be to their 
state to have its frontiers well protected by a thriving 
colony northward. Naturally he had Httle difficulty in 
interesting General Washington, who was eager to further a 
plan that would benefit his brave soldiers. Yet though 
the diary which Dr. Cutler kept during this time records 
all his perseverance and his skill in winning friends for 
his project, between the lines can be easily read his great 
discouragement. He could not seem to push this under- 
taking through to success. Of course he could if he 
would give in about the slavery question, but he would 



FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA 61 

not compromise his principles and those of the men who 
were trusting him as leader. He would pack his bag 
and start back to Boston. Perhaps the Ohio Company 
could purchase frontier land in one of the New England 
colonies and there carry out their project. He went to 
bed that night, disconsolate at his failure. Next morn- 
ing, just as he was about to start on his journey, one 
of his friends came hurrying toward him, smiling and 
eager. 

" Congress has passed the ordinance, sir,'' he ex- 
claimed, ^^ with all the amendments you have urged.'' 

An Important Victory 

Dr. Cutler was delighted. He knew how much it 
would mean to these ex-soldiers. His friend explained 
that the Virginia delegates and other interested and 
patriotic men had succeeded at last in convincing the 
other members of Congress. The Ordinance of 1787, 
as the set of laws governing the Northwest Territory 
was called, was an accomplished fact. 

Back to Boston he journeyed, rejoicing at the good 
news he was carrying to his soldier friends. 

The adventures of this Ohio Company, as they 
traveled from New England by coach and down the 
Ohio River in a craft they called The Mayflower in 
honor of the earliest adventurers for freedom, are full 
of interest. So, too, are their experiences in building 
up their settlement. Marietta. They were the first of 
the new pioneers who were to carry the ideals of the 
older pioneers, the Pilgrims and the Puritans, beyond 
New England, on through the land to the far western 
sea. Hosts of people followed them into this new terri- 
tory, sure that when governed by such laws as the 



62 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

Ordinance of 1787 provided, they could share in the 
building of noble states. In due time these became those 
we call Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan. 
But our story is not with these pioneers, thrilling as their 
experiences are, for Dr. Cutler never shared their ad- 
ventures, and our story is concerned with him. Though 
he visited the colony he had done so much to prosper, 
and always served it well, he remained a citizen of 
Massachusetts. His work did not include the adventure 
of the pioneer as did Thomas Hooker^s, yet to Dr. 
Manasseh Cutler the United States owes an equal debt 
of honor. The Ordinance of 1787, with its notable 
amendment prohibiting slavery, w^as passed largely 
through his efforts. It proved of vast importance. 
Daniel Webster said of this Ordinance of 1787 that he 
did not know whether one single law of any law-giver, 
ancient or modern, had produced effects that were more 
distinct and lasting. The states formed out of the 
territory governed by this Ordinance worked valiantly 
to build up and preserve the LTnion and set free the 
enslaved race. 

Suppose Dr. Cutler had flinched and compromised 
his principles, thinking that his struggle to uphold them 
would not matter much! What then? Those states 
might have become slave states, and real democracy 
would have had still greater struggles to encounter. It 
was a national crisis. He did not know that it was so. 
He knew only that he must be loyal to his conviction 
at all cost and do what was his duty. Quietly and 
steadily he did it. His work was not picturesque nor 
of compelling interest. In fact it was quite humdrum, 
yet through his loyalty to his duty another stride for- 
ward for democracy was made. The first blow was 



FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA 63 

struck against the slavery of one human being by 
another. 

Honor truly is due to these two Congregational heroes 
whose loyalty to their convictions was responsible for 
these two great contributions to the growth of democ- 
racy. A cheap and easy way to honor them would be 
erecting statues to commemorate their deeds. A far 
better way would be an imitation of their loyalty to 
high ideals and of their courage in carrying them out, 
and an equal willingness to serve at all hazards the 
cause of human brotherhood. 

TO THE PUPIL 

You would like to read parts of Dr. Cutler's diar^^ and letters, 
especially about his trip to Philadelphia and New York. See The 
Life, Journals and Correspondence of Dr. Manasseh Cutlery edited by 
his grandchildren. An interesting book about Thomas Hooker is 
written by George Leon Walker and is called Thomas Hooker. 

QUESTIONS 

1. In what sense did the Puritans and Pilgrims '^ possess the land 
from sea to sea " which their charters gave them? 

2. What reasons persuaded the Newtowne people to go West? 

3. What discouragements and difficulties did they face? 

4. What was Thomas Hooker's great sermon about? 

5. How did the Connecticut Colony carry out Hooker's beliefs? 

6. Why was this very important for the United States? 

7. What great contest for democracy began in 1775? 

8. How did Dr. Manasseh Cutler '' do his bit "? 

9. What plans did the Revolutionary soldiers have after the war? 

10. What were the three provisions of the Ordinance of 1787 
which Dr. Cutler proposed to Congress? 

11. What struggle did Dr. Cutler have for the law forbidding 
slavery? 

12. Why was it so important for the United States that Dr. 
Cutler did not give up his belief? 



FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA (Continued) 

An Immortal Eleven 

Let me tell you about a college eleven which has done 
more for our country than any football eleven in any 
of our colleges today. The game they played was a 
great game, too, requiring even more grit and all-around 
manUness and team-work than any daring play on the 
gridiron. One of their number in looking back after 
twenty-five years of service tells the story of the ^' Iowa 
Band,'' the Immortal Eleven of the Congregational 
Church. 

Organizing the Team 

This is how the '* team " was organized. At Andover 
Seminary a student sat at chapel thinking what he 
should do after graduation. He had been sick. Even 
his seminary study seemed too much for him. How 
could he ever manage the real work of a minister? 
Should he have to give up his cherished plan? The 
thought came that perhaps a different cKmate would 
help him fight against ill-health. He thought of the 
west. That would be missionary work. Should he go 
there? He came out of the meeting with the prayer in 
his heart, '' Lord, prepare me for whatever field thou 
hast before me. Prepare me for it, and make me will- 
ing to enter it.'' 

Saturday afternoons the students took long tramps 
over the hills, talking of where their future work should 



FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA 65 

lie. Should they stay in New England? Should they 
go to the foreign field? Should they go to the far west 
as home missionaries? One day one friend said to this 
young student, ^' If we and some others of our class could 
only go out together, what a grand thing that would be.'' 
The others heartily agreed. Eagerly they talked and 
planned, as they hurried back to the Seminary for supper. 

Shortly after that these students began to think of 
going to the far west. One night they listened to a 
discussion of the needs there. Said one student to him- 
self, ^' Shall I go out of New England to a place where I 
am more needed? If I go out of New England to a 
place where I am more needed, then why not go to the 
place where I am most needed? '' All night he struggled 
to answer the problem, for in those days going west 
meant a great deal. One left behind comfortable living, 
friends and fellowship with them, and the opportunities 
of books and libraries. One faced a land of which very 
little was known, a great loneliness, and the hard life 
of the frontier. But the people needing God were there, 
and God was there. Some one was needed to bring 
them together. In the morning his decision was, '' I 
will go to the west.'' 

Next day he told the others; they had come to 
similar decisions. Now they began to speak of their 
plan to other friends, and as one or another of these 
joined the group and they were united in a common 
purpose, it was very natural that they should meet 
together for prayer. In the dark — because the rules 
forbade lights — ^^in one corner of the Seminary library, 
they met on Tuesday evening, week by week, and 
earnestly asked God to guide them where to go. After 
the prayer, discussion of the needs of the different states 



66 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

followed. Should they go to Ohio? Michigan? IlHnois? 
Missouri? By and by all had come to the conclusion 
to go to Iowa, one of the newest of territories, lying 
just across the Mississippi — the frontier in those days 
— of which less was known at that time than we know 
today of China. After this decision they began cor- 
responding with the American Home Missionary Society 
and the Reverend Asa Turner, who was its agent in the 
Iowa territory, asking all sorts of questions about 
climate and health and conditions. For so long had he 
hoped for help in this great field and so often had he 
been disappointed that he could hardly believe it when 
he heard that twelve young ministers were planning to 
come out all at the same time. He wrote them that 
he couldn^t believe this good news. Finally he was 
persuaded that they were in earnest, and invited them 
to come directly to his home in Denmark, Iowa. Then 
they could be assigned to special places. Before long 
came their commissioning by the American Home Mis- 
sionary Society and a farewell meeting in the Andover 
Church. At graduation they agreed to meet at Albany 
on Tuesday, the third of October. When that time 
came, however, only eleven of them were able to set 
forth. 

Beginning to Play the Game 

From Albany they journeyed to Buffalo by train, 
which in those days, 1843, was as far as the railroad 
extended. The journey to Chicago, at that time a tiny 
prairie town, was made by boat down the lakes. The 
last part of the journey they made in canvas-covered 
wagons over the prairie and they crossed the Mississippi 
to Denmark in a canoe. 



FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA 67 

On the morning of their ordination all the town was 
early astir to behold the young ministers fresh from the 
east. Seven of them were ordained that day. The joy 
of this to ^^ Father '^ Turner, who had been a pioneer 
missionary in the state, was too great for words. But 
before this ordination day, the last meeting of the Band 
had been held. '^ Father '' Turner and Mr. Gaylord 
had told them of the places which they thought were 
most needing them, and then had left them to decide 
among themselves where each would settle. Monday 
morning all v/as a-bustle with preparation for going to 
their chosen work. Brave good-byes were said as they 
shook hands with their comrades. '^ Remember Tuesday 
night, '^ was the reminder that each one would keep that 
old familiar time in prayer for all the Band. 

The Team at Work 

Glimpses into their life are given in the story of the 
Band told by one of their members. He had planned 
to have a study and a library and write two sermons a 
week. He lived the first year in the house of a kindly 
Christian, who partitioned off with a quilt one corner 
of his only room. This was the minister's bedroom and 
study; his study-chair was a saddle. Here is the record 
in a diary for July 23: 

^^ This day's ride on my faithful pony, for IVe for- 
gotten to say that I now own one — price forty-five 
dollars — has brought me to T. Here found Brother A. 
He has a study, a little ground room right on the street 
in the ^ lean-to ' of a store, over which live the family. 
Horses stand around, these hot days, kicking the flies, 
and, when he is out, the pigs run in unless he is careful 
to shut the door. Poor place, I should think, for writing 



68 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

sermons. Partition so thin that aU the store-talk, es- 
pecially when the doors are open, is plainly heard. 

'^ It being Tuesday' evening, we of course wished to 
remember the Tuesday evening prayer-meeting but 
wanted a more private place for it: so went in search 
of one. Came to a two-story log-dwelUng used for a jail, 
which happened to be empty with the doors open. 
Went up by an outside stairwaj^ to the upper room and 
there, with the moon saihng over the prairies, had our 
meeting; pra^'ed for each other, for the brethren, for 
Iowa, for home. Xot exactly hke the old Andover 
meetings in the hbrar}'. but something like them. Coming 
down again to the ground. Brother A. looked up in his 
queer way: ^ There,' said he, ^I guess that's the first 
time that old building ever had a praj^er in it.' Just 
as cheerful and funny as ever; but he's doing a good 
work here and getting hold of the hearts of everj'body. 
Indeed, he is becoming quite a bishop of the county. 
^ The first time there was ever a prayer in it! ' I wonder 
in how many places and ways we shall do the first 
things for Christ in this new countr}\" 

And here is an account of a church organized in a 
nine-pin alley. That this had been offered for the series 
of rehgious meetings to be held in the town was a sur- 
prise, for its owner was the keeper of the saloon next 
door; but that it was offered rent free when the daily 
income from it was about ten dollars was even more 
surprising. Rough seats of boards were arranged across 
the alley for nearly the whole length; the speaker's 
desk was a biUiard table. During the services could be 
heard the noise of conversation and clatter of glasses 
from the saloon next door; yet so earnest were the 
meetings that at their close a church was formed and 



FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA 69 

the record states that it was ^^ organized on . . . day 
of ... in Mr. — 's nine-pin alley.'' 

Other glimpses of the work given in this diary show 
how the mothers and daughters bore their share in 
building Iowa. A young man in the first year of his 
ministry went to the house of a fellow minister with 
whom he wished to become acquainted. '^ It was made 
of logs/' he said, '^ with a single room below, and the 
usual loft. As I remember, it was about sixteen feet 
square with a passage through it by a door on each side. 
At one side of the room was a stove, on the other a bed, 
with the usual display of kettles, dishes, hats, clothing, 
etc., found in such houses. The brother was not at 
home. His wife, I was told, was above and sick. I 
was invited to go up and see her. I did so, ascending 
a ladder in one corner. There, sitting on her bed, was 
the missionary's wife. . . . Her constitution was evi- 
dently fragile, and, to her, bodily suffering was no 
stranger. I shall never forget how she looked, nor with 
what womanly courtesy she received me. . . . Not a 
murmur did she utter and scarcely an apology for any- 
thing. An air of peace and contentment characterized 
her. I noticed that the whole roof was a little askew, 
as though it had been lifted up and turned around and 
let down again, with articles of clothing caught in the 
cracks. 

'^ ' That,' said she, ^ was done by a hurricane we had a 
few days ago. The wind blew terribly for a while. I 
was here all alone, and thought once the house was 
going, but somehow I felt safe.' Her husband, she said, 
had gone to the river to get a load of lumber. She was 
sorry he had to work so hard. He was lame and not 
strong." The young minister spent the night there with 



70 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

the brave young people. As he talked with them, he 
realized how much this sick woman helped her husband 
by her sympathy and interest in his work. Later, 
when he knew them better and she was stronger, he 
saw many other things that she did to help. 

She and others like her bore cheerfully all the many 
inconveniences and discomforts of making the house a 
home in the new country, by making furniture out of 
boxes and contriving this or that other way to make 
living pleasant. They entered heartily into the work for 
the children and the young people and the activities of 
the church sewing circles. At one ^^ association '' time 
when the ministers with their wives and children poured 
into the town far beyond its ability to give them room, 
the minister's wife called for a farm wagon and scoured 
the country for straw until beds were provided for all, 
even though they fiUed the bedroom, parlor, and entry 
of the parsonage. 

One Great Victory 

One of the greatest monuments to the Iowa Band is 
Grinnell College, first located at Davenport, but later 
moved to Grinnell. '' If each one of us can only plant 
one good permanent church, and all together build a 
college, what a work that would be! '^ So said one of 
the Band while they were still only thinking about their 
western work. In believing thus, they were living up to 
the ideal of their Puritan ancestors, the founders of 
Harvard and other colleges, that education must be 
provided if both church and state are to be prosperous. 
In March, 1844, hardly a year after they had reached the 
field, a meeting of ministers and other folk ^^ interested 
in founding a college '' was held. Plans were proposed 



FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA 71 

and beginnings made without ^^ even a dime or a prom- 
ise save as there was faith in prayer and toil.'^ It was 
one of the Band that, in 1846, put down a dollar on the 
table and said, '^ Now appoint your trustees to take care 
of that dollar for Iowa College/' By 1848 a school was 
opened. How they toiled and prayed for its success! 
Four hundred and forty-two dollars was subscribed by 
the twenty-one ministers in 1849 and this out of their 
salaries of about $400 a year. The next year they 
pledged the same amount, and the wives, too, took their 
part, fourteen of them subscribing $70. Stories such as 
these might be multiplied, but the following will illus- 
trate the spirit of all: — ^^ He was a plain man, and his 
home of the olden stamp, somewhat old-fashioned in its 
air, but ample in comfort, without extravagance or dis- 
play. Riding about the village one afternoon in the 
old family carriage, he reined up his horse where a towns- 
man was building a residence of elegance and cost. 
Surveying it for a moment, ^ There,' said he, ^ I might 
take my money, and build me a house just like that; 
but then, if I should, I should not have it to give to 
Iowa College.' " The one man built a house, but the 
other built men and women. This spirit of service 
conquered all obstacles. How proud the Iowa Band 
would be of their successors, the ^^ Grinnell Band," now 
at work in China helping to build there the kingdom of 
God! In this way they are a living monument to the 
spirit of those who helped to build Iowa and found the 
college. They have seen the gleam which led their 
ancestors, and followed it across the shining sea. Now 
they are striving there that others in that far-away 
land also may see its light and carry it on into all 
the world. 



72 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

A Work that Goes Forward 

Merely founding this college would have been great 
enough to win lasting honor. But what besides was the 
service of the Band? In Iowa, the Congregational min- 
isters and churches took an uncompromising stand against 
slavery when other denominations were divided, and 
that helped mightily to bring Iowa into the Union as a 
free state. At the time of the Civil War, their love of 
freedom and their bold preaching of the rights of man 
sent many a man into the Union Army. They were 
responsible, also, for introducing the annual celebration 
of Thanksgiving. To the Congregational denomination, 
the Band showed that Congregationalism was as well 
suited to the west as to the east, and from that time 
on, the Congregational churches have grown stronger 
and stronger throughout the west. Their earnest re- 
ports of the necessity for help in building up the strug- 
gling new churches proved in time to be a powerful 
factor in forming one of the most important of Con- 
gregational societies today, the Church Building Society. 
'* At the State Capitol, not long ago, was unveiled the 
portrait of a man thought v/orthy of such honor. Who 
was this man? An old pioneer preacher, one of the 
Band, Dr. William Salter of Burlington. The Governor 
said, ' Men of his character and of his class are the 
men that have made Iowa what she is, a great, noble, 
peerless. Christian commonwealth.' '' 

A Dangerous Ride 

Before the door of the log cabin, not far from Walla 
Walla, in the Oregon country, stands Dr. Marcus Whit- 
man saying good-bye to his wife and his fellow mis- 



FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA 73 

sionaries and his Indian friends. He leaps to his horse 
and is off. With him ride a young man, Amos Lawrence 
Lovejoy, and an Indian guide. Several Indian friends 
mount their horses to go with him on this first day's 
trip, urging on the mules laden with supphes. It is 
early October. There in the mountains, the air is fresh 
with the feeling of coming fall. Through forests flecked 
here and there with red and gold, they ride. Starting 
up the partridge, frightening the deer, up and into the 
mountains they climb. The horses are tethered, the 
camp-fire built, supper cooked and eaten. Soundly they 
sleep until morning; they have come forty miles that 
day. Before sunrise they are up, kindling the fire, 
boiling the coffee. This done and breakfast eaten, the 
horses are saddled, the pack animals made ready and 
off they ride again. 

In eleven days they have reached Fort Hall, stopping 
only for rest at night and a quiet Sunday. Day after 
day Indians have passed them. When they have heard 
where Doctor Whitman is going, they have shaken their 
heads and told him not to go on. But Doctor Whitman 
has gone on. He is not one who turns back. Here at 
Fort Hall, however. Captain Grant of the trading post 
gives disturbing information. '^ The Pawnees and the 
Sioux are on the warpath. You will lose your fife if 
you go on through their country. The snow in the 
mountains, too, is very deep. Turn back, or at least 
wait till spring. '^ 

But Doctor Whitman will not turn back. Instead he 
turns his horse to a more southerly course through the 
^^ Spanish country '' toward Santa Fe, although this will 
make nearly a thousand miles more to travel. As they 
ride up into the mountains, bhnding snowstorms and 



74 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

deep snow keep them back, yet they push on to Fort 
Uintah. There they rest a while and change guides, 
before travehng on to their next stopping place at 
Fort Uncompahgre in what is now the state of Colorado. 

Young Love joy in letters has described their expe- 
rience in crossing the Rocky Mountains in winter. Hear 
his story: 

^' When we had been out four or five days and were 
passing over high tablelands, we encountered a most 
temfic snow-storm, which forced us to seek shelter at once. 
A deep ravine being near by, we quickly made for it, but 
the snow fell so rapidly and the wind blew with such 
potence, that it was almost impossible to reach it. After 
reaching the ravine and cutting some cotton wood trees 
for our animals, we attempted such arrangements for 
camp as best we could under the circumstances, and 
remained snowed in for some three or four days, when 
the storm subsided, and it cleared off intensely cold. 
It was with much difficulty that we made our way up 
upon the highlands; the snow was so deep and the 
wind so piercing and cold, that we felt compelled to return 
to camp and wait a few days for a change of weather. 

^' Our next effort was more successful, and after spend- 
ing several days wandering round in the snow without 
making much headway and greatly fatiguing our ani- 
mals to little or no purpose, our guide informed us that 
the deep snows had so changed the face of the country, 
that he was completely lost and could take us no 
farther. 

^^ This was a terrible blow to the Doctor. He was 
determined not to give up without another effort. And 
we at once agreed that the Doctor should take the guide 
and make his way back to the fort and procure a new 



FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA 75 

guide, and that I should remain in camp with the ani- 
mals until his return.'' 

For a whole week Lovejoy waited in that snow-bound 
camp, alone except for the pack animals and his faithful 
dog. The pass was unfrequented. It was possible that 
Dr. Whitman might not be able to reach the fort. It 
was possible, too, that returning he could not find him! 
Yet he did come at last, and Lovejoy goes on with his 
story thus: 

'^ We were soon under way on our route, traveling 
through the snows at rather a snail's pace. Nothing 
occurred of much importance other than hard and slow 
traveling until we reached, as our guide informed us, the 
Grand River, which was frozen, on either side, about 
one-third across. The current was so very rapid that 
the center of the stream remained open, although the 
v/eather was intensely cold. 

" This stream was one hundred and fifty or two 
hundred yards wide and looked upon by our guide as 
very dangerous to cross in its present condition. But 
the Doctor, nothing daunted, was the first to take the 
water. He mounted his horse, and the guide and my- 
self pushed them off the ice into the boiling, foaming 
stream. Away they went completely under water, 
horse and all, but directly came up and after buffeting 
the waves and foaming current, he made his way to the 
ice on the opposite side, a long way down the stream, 
and leaped from his horse upon the ice, and soon had 
his noble animal by his side. The guide and myself 
forced in the pack animals, followed the Doctor's ex- 
ample, and were soon drying our frozen clothes by a 
comfortable fire." ^ 

'Quoted as in Mowry's " Marcus Whitman," p. 159. 



76 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

At another time the Doctor, who had attempted to 
go on one morning, was forced by the bUnding snow to 
find his camp, as the only hope of saving their lives. 

^^ But the drifting snow had totally obliterated every 
trace, and the air becoming almost as dark as night by 
the maddening storm, the Doctor saw that it would be 
impossible for any human being to find camp, and com- 
mending himself and his distant wife to his covenant- 
keeping God, he gave himself and his faithful guide 
and animals up to their snowy grave which was fast 
closing in on them, when the guide, observing the ears 
of one of the mules intently bent forward, sprang upon 
him, giving him the reins, exclaiming : ' This mule will 
find camp if he can live to reach it.' The Doctor 
mounted another and followed; the faithful animal 
kept down the divide a short distance, and then turned 
square down the steep mountain. Through deep snow- 
drifts, over frightful precipices, down, down he pushed, 
unguided and unurged — as if he knew the lives of the 
two men and the fate of the great expedition depended 
upon his endurance and faithfulness — and into the 
thick timber, and stopped suddenly over a bare spot, 
and : as ^ the Doctor dismounted — the Mexican was too 
far gone — behold the very fireplace of their morning 
camp! Two brands of fire were yet alive and smoking. 

'^ At another time, with another guide, on the head- 
waters of the Arkansas, after traveling all day in a 
terrible storm, they reached a small river for camp, but 
without a stick of wood anywhere to be had except on 
the other side of the stream, which was covered with 
ice too thin^ to support a man erect. The storm 
cleared away, and the night bade fair to be intensely 
cold; besides they must have fire to prepare bread and 



FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA 77 

food. The Doctor took his axe in one hand and a 
willow stick in the other, laid himself upon the thin ice, 
and spreading his legs and arms he worked himself over 
on his breast, cut his wood and slid it over, and re- 
turned the same way. 

^^ That was the last time the Doctor enjoyed the 
luxury of his axe — so indispensable at that season of 
the year in such a country. That night a wolf poked 
his nose under the foot of the bed where the axe had 
been placed for safe keeping, and took it off for a leather 
string that had been wrapped around the split helve.'' ^ 

The Indians' Appeal 

Several years before Dr. Marcus Whitman made this 
difficult journey four Nez Perces Indians walked from 
Oregon to St. Louis to ask for the white man's " Book 
of Heaven " and a ^' man near to God." At the end 
of the winter, with one instead of three braves, the 
chief started back along the trail. These were his 
words as he left: " I came to you over a trail of many 
moons from the setting sun. You were the friend of 
my fathers, who have all gone the long way. I came 
with one eye partly opened, for more light for my people 
who sit in darkness. I go back with both eyes closed. 
How can I go back blind to my blind people? I made 
my way to you with strong arms, through many ene- 
mies and strange lands, that I might carry back much 
to them. I go back with both arms broken and empty. 
The two fathers who came with me — the braves of 
many winters and wars — we leave asleep here by your 
great water. They were tired in many moons and their 
moccasins wore out. My people sent me to get the 

1 Quoted as in Mowry's "Marcus Whitman," pp. 159-160. 



78 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

white man's Book from Heaven. You took me where 
you allow your women to dance as we do not ours, and 
the Book was not there. You took me where they 
worship the Great Spirit with candles, and the Book was 
not there. You showed me images of good spirits and 
pictures of the good land beyond, but the Book was not 
among them. I am going back the long, sad trail to 
my people of the dark land. You make my feet heavy 
with burdens of gifts and my moccasins will grow old 
in carrying them, but the Book is not among them. 
When I tell my poor blind people, after one more snow, 
in the big council, that I did not bring the Book, no word 
will be spoken by our old men or by our young braves. 
One by one they will rise up and go the long path to 
the other hunting grounds. No white man will go with 
them and no white man's Book to make the way plain. 
I have no more words.'' These men had seen the gleam 
and longed to follow it, yet they had no one to '^ go 
with them and no white man's Book to make the way 
plain." It is not hard to see why a man Uke Whitman 
answered their plea. He and his wife and the Rev. 
Mr. Spalding and Mrs. Spalding had been sent out to 
this Oregon country by the American Board of Com- 
missioners for Foreign Missions. Strange as it may 
seem to us, Oregon was then the foreign field. Seven 
years before they had gone the long trail over the 
plains and across the Great Divide. For seven years 
they had labored to make the way plain from '^ the 
white man's Book " to their Indian brothers. Now 
they were asked to leave them. Word had come from 
the Board at Boston asking that part of their work 
be discontinued. Whitman felt earnestly that, if the 
affairs of the mission were thoroughly understood, this 






FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA 79 

limitation of their work would not have to take place. 
He would ride across the continent and set the matter 
straight if he could. 

The Patriotic Purpose 

On the other hand, Marcus Whitman was a patriot. 
He believed that the Oregon country, so beautiful, 
fertile, and rich in resources, should belong to the 
United States, and that because so little was known of 
it there was danger that it would fall into the possession 
of Great Britain. If only people knew the value of 
the country, they would come to live in it, and if 
enough Americans settled in the territory, then it would 
strengthen the claim of the United States. He would ride in 
the winter so that he could return in the spring, bringing 
with him as many immigrants as he could. He would 
do all he could to persuade our national government 
not to give up Oregon to the British. If he waited 
until spring it might be too late. 

What Came of the Ride 

To accomplish these two purposes he endured all the 
peril and hardship of the ride. That the American 
Board reconsidered its decision regarding the Oregon 
Mission as a result of Dr. Whitman's visit is very clear. 
That Dr. Whitman did anything at all to win Oregon 
for the United States has been disputed. However, 
the best authorities believe that Marcus Whitman was 
the one who did most in winning the Oregon country, 
although he was not, of course, wholly responsible for 
the great stream of immigration that passed into Oregon 
the summer of 1843. Many people had thought of 
going to Oregon before this, but they had not gone, 



80 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

because they had heard that it was impossible to take 
wagons over the mountains the other side of Fort Hall 
down to the valle^^s of the Willamette and the Columbia 
rivers. If they could not take wagons, they could not 
take their wives and children and supphes over the 
mountains. Consequently settlements would be out of 
the question. Here Whitman^s testimony that he had 
taken his wagon over the mountains seven years before 
and his word that he was going to return by that route 
in the spring proved of vast importance. Because of 
his word, many were encouraged to make the attempt. 
Ever\'where Whitman went he talked about Oregon 
and the outlook for prosperity there. Certain it was 
that he guided nearly one thousand immigrants, with 
their wagons, cattle and sheep, across the divide and 
into the new countiy, proving that reaching Oregon 
by wagon was possible. Other caravans of pioneers 
followed until the presence of so many Americans in 
the territorj^ made it true American soil. In 1846 
by treaty ^ith Great Britain, the Oregon territory south 
of the forty-ninth parallel came into possession of the 
United States. Pilgrims and Puritans, through their 
descendants, had at last estabhshed their claim to pos- 
sess the land '^ from sea to sea.^' Surel}' the heroic 
missionary and Christian patriot, Marcus Whitman, 
deserves a place of honor among all followers of the 
gleam, these builders of states whose good shall be 
indeed crowned with brotherhood and become the king- 
dom of God. 

TO THE PUPIL 

The story of the Iowa Band is told b}^ one of their number, 
Ephraim Adams. The hfe of ]\Iarcus Whitman written by Mowry 
iiB full of fascinating adventures. 



FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA 81 

QUESTIONS 

1. What qualities make a good football or basket-ball player? 

2. Wliy do athletic teams practise and train before a contest? 

3. Why do athletic teams need team work? 

4. What was the contest the Iowa Band played? 

5. How was it trained for work? 

6. How did it carry on its team work? 

7. Wliat w^as one great victory? 

8. Show why you think their game was worth winning. 

9. Whsit experiences did Dr. Marcus Whitman have on his ride 
from Oregon? 

10. What were his two reasons for taking the ride? 

11. What kind of man do you think Dr. Whitman was? 

12. What was Dr. Whitman^s vision of Oregon's futiu^e? 

13. What did Dr. Whitman's daring ride accompHsh? 

14. Why was the work of the Iowa Band and Dr. Whitman im- 
portant for the extension of democracy? 



VI 

INTO ALL THE WORLD 

" Though you and I are very Httle beings, we must not rest 
satisfied till we have made our influence extend to the remotest 
corner of this ruined world." — Samuel J. Mills. 

The A. B. C. F. M.! What does this row of letters 
signify? Do you know? Marcus Whitman knew, and 
knew that they stood for a way by which our influence 
could extend to the remotest corner of the world. Does 
that seem impossible? This chapter will show you that 
it is not; that Samuel Mills did do it; that we can. 

A Man with a Vision 

Samuel J. Mills, though only a freshman at WilKams 
College in the year 1806, became a leader amongst his 
fellows within a few weeks after his entrance. He was 
not handsome. His skin was sallow, his voice hoarse, 
his figure awkward, and his manners unattractive. He 
did not win prominence in scholarship. He took no 
honors at graduation. He was not an eloquent speaker. 
Yet he was a leader, and his influence has extended into 
the whole world. Why? He was a man with a vision. 
A college friend wrote of him, '^ He has a great heart 
and great designs. ^^ He was filled with enthusiasm for 
this ideal. He not only gave himself loyally to following 
it, but he also helped others to see this gleam and follow 
it too. What was it? 

Under the Haystack 

With certain of his friends it was his habit to meet 
for prayer On one particularly hot August Saturday 



INTO ALL THE WORLD 83 

afternoon only five men came to the grove of maples 
near the river for their weekly circle of prayer. Besides 
Samuel Mills there were James Richards and Harvey 
Loomis, who were also freshmen, and Francis L. Robbins 
and Byram Green, who were sophomores. Heavy 
black clouds piled up in the west; soon it lightened and 
thundered. Quickly leaving the grove they found 
shelter from the driving rain under a haystack in the 
neighboring field, and waiting there for the storm to 
pass, they talked of Asia. They had been studying it 
in their regular course in geography, which in those days 
was a college subject, and all were much interested in it 
and in the East India Company, which was just opening 
up that great continent for trade. They discussed the 
great darkness of that land and the degradation of the 
people. Here was just the opportunity Samuel Mills 
had been waiting for. Now he would tell them of his 
ideal. ^^ Why not send India the story of the love of 
God in Jesus Christ and let the people know how he 
is able to save men from misery and sin? '' he asked. 
He talked long and eagerly, for they raised all kinds of 
objections. Finally he said in answer to their objec- 
tions, '^ We can do it, if we will! '' 

The Brethren 

This was the vision that shone before Samuel Mills: 
he would have all men everywhere know God through 
Jesus Christ. This vision he would give his life to making 
real. '' We can do it if we will/' Did he succeed? Well, 
what followed? First of all, immediately, there under the 
haystack, as the five friends talked it over, three agreed with 
him; yet one argued that before missionaries were sent, 
civiUzation ought to be carried; otherwise the missionaries 



84 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

might be murdered. At last Mills said, '^ Come, let us 
make it a subject of prayer under the haystack, while the 
dark clouds are going and the clear sky is coming/' All 
believed in prayer, and one after another prayed that 
God would make real their vision. Week by week these 
prayer meetings went on, during the pleasant days out of 
doors, during the winter in a kindly neighbor's kitchen. 
With the others who joined their group, all the scraps of 
information about foreign missions were eagerly sought 
and discussed. What they knew of William Carey, the 
first missionary in India, who had been there only about 
fourteen years, must have been eagerly talked of as they 
sat in each other's rooms on the campus, or took long 
tramps in the woods. Eventually there grew up the first 
missionary society, ^' The Brethren," a very different 
society from those which we know about today, for the 
members of this society had as their purpose not sending 
others but going themselves. They not only prayed 
that God would make their vision real; they gave him their 
lives to use in bringing it about. 

As Mills and others of the Brethren at Williams, in order 
to carry out their purpose of becoming missionaries, must 
study for the ministry, they went to Andover Seminary. 
There they found others, especially Adoniram Judson 
of Brown, Samuel Nott of Union, and Samuel Newell of 
Harvard, who, like themselves, had thought of the needs of 
Asia. Since they had made carrying forward this work 
of foreign missions their Ufe purpose too, they admitted 
them into the Society of the Brethren. These young men 
often wondered, though, ^' How they should preach except 
they be sent? " Judson thought of applying to one of the 
two British societies which sent out missionaries, but Mills 
felt it would be a disgrace to America not to support its 



INTO ALL THE WORLD 85 

own foreign missionaries. He would have the leaders of 
the churches, *' the fathers, rise up and take the business 
of missions into their own hands/' Advised by their 
seminary professors, they laid their plan before the General 
Association of Congregational Churches of Massachusetts. 
Only four names, those of Adoniram Judson, Jr., Samuel 
Nott, Jr., Samuel J. Mills, and Samuel Newell, appeared 
on the petition. Luther Rice and James Richards wished 
to sign it, but they were advised not to because it was 
feared the sight of so many names might alarm the associa- 
tion. Stating their purpose they asked whether they had 
best abandon it or whether the churches would form a 
missionary society to send them out. This query was 
answered by the formation of the American Board of 
Commissioners for Foreign Missions in 1810. 

Into all the World 

On February 8, 1812, at Salem, five missionaries were 
ordained, Samuel Nott, Adoniram Judson, Gordon Hall, 
Samuel Newell, and Luther Rice. Where was Samuel 
Mills, that first volunteer for Foreign Missionary Service? 
Surely he would be one of the first to go. How did this 
happen? In the first place, his friends tell us that he be- 
lieved Gordon Hall to be better fitted than he to have the 
honor of going to the field; in the second place, we know 
that the Brethren believed Mills specially fitted to stay 
at home and interest the people in the churches so that they 
would support those who would go out to the field, and also 
urge other young men to give their lives to this work. 
Bravely and quietly, sacrificing the dearest dream of his 
life, an active part in carrying the gospel to other lands, in 
order that the vision itself might be more splendidly real- 
ized, he stayed at home. In his sacrifice, by his absolute 



86 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

devotion to this purpose, he became a mighty power in 
carrying forward the work of foreign missions, and greatly 
aroused America at home to the needs of missionary work 
in the frontier states and the cities. Truly the influence 
of his Ufe as it touched and influenced other lives has been 
felt all around the world to the '^ remotest corner/' 

The Work They Started 

For over a hundred years the American Board of Com- 
missioners for Foreign Missions has been at work. In 
1812 they sent out five missionaries; in 1916 there were six 
hundred sixty-one missionaries on the field; forty-six were 
appointed to go for a lifetime of service and six others 
were sent to serve for a term of years; in all a total of seven 
hundred thirteen. In 1812 the churches raised $13,611.50; 
in 1916 the total sum was $1,207,126.54. In 1813 there 
was one mission established; in 1916 the Board had nine- 
teen missions in which there are 106 stations with 1,461 
out-stations. Associated today with the American Board 
are the three women's boards, the Woman's Board of Mis- 
sions, with its headquarters in Boston, the Woman's Board 
of Missions of the Interior, with headquarters at Chicago, 
and the Woman's Board of Missions for the Pacific, with 
its headquarters in San Francisco. Early in its years 
of service the American Board discovered that there was 
work which only women could do for the women and chil- 
dren in these non-Christian lands, work which the mis- 
sionary wives had not time and strength to undertake. 
Therefore the Board asked the women and children of the 
Congregational churches to undertake this work as specially 
theirs. So the Woman's Boards were organized, pledging 
themselves each year to raise a certain part of the money 
needed by the American Board. This amounts to one 



INTO ALL THE WORLD 87 

third of the whole sum expended by the American Board 
each year. Thus the Woman's Boards and the children 
support the unmarried women who go out as missionaries 
under the American Board, and support the work they do 
in the schools for girls, in kindergartens, in hospitals for 
women, and in carrying into their homes the good news of 
the love God has for women as well as men and his will 
for them. 

Missions and Democracy 

Now statistics showing the results of foreign missions 
mean nothing until we realize that each unit represented 
in the total is a person with all that person's love, courage, 
hope, strength and service, or their opposites, hate, fear, 
weakness, selfishness, laziness. It is only when we begin 
to see the difference made in individual lives by knowing 
Jesus, and then through them the difference wrought 
in whole communities, that we begin to appreciate what the 
figures mean and understand something of the great ac- 
complishment of foreign missions. Then we see that it is 
not by chance that the least progressive nations are those 
which are not Christian. We become convinced that there 
is, in fellowship with Jesus and in following his program for 
the life of men, a power which transforms men and brings 
the kingdom of God to earth. The rest of this chapter will 
attempt to show this transforming power of the gleam. 

If You were an African Girl 

Let us visit South Africa first, and enter the hut which 
a Zulu boy or girl calls home. It is round and made of 
thatch. Down you must go on your knees and crawl in 
on the hard dirt floor. You cough and sneeze with the 
smoke from the fire in the center. There is only one 



88 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

opening, the door by which you have entered. All the 
light there is comes from this and from the fire. As your 
eyes grow accustomed to the dark you may see in the corner 
a hen with her chickens. A low ^^ moo " may frighten 
you a bit and, as you look about startled, there in another 
dark corner you may discover a calf. On mats on the 
floor are the children, squatting around the fire waiting for 
their supper. If you are an African girl, you have hard 
work to do; you have the meal to grind and the food to 
prepare for the men and boys; you have the wood and 
water to fetch; all the garden to plant and care for. It is 
work, work, work. Never will there be any end of it for 
you! You cannot do anything else if you wish, for you 
are the property of your father or brother and he may sell 
you in exchange for cattle at any time to be one of the wives 
of some neighbor. There it will be just more hard work. 
Life is always full of fear. In the dark are many evil 
spirits who will do you harm. If you are sick — and you 
often are because no one tells you, and you do not know, 
the simple, e very-day ways of keeping well — then the 
witch doctor must come, and though he does all sorts of 
things to frighten away the spirit which brings the pain, he 
cannot make it any less. Sometimes it goes away by it- 
self, but often it does not. There^s just no use! Now, 
would it make any difference to you, if you were an African 
girl, to know that there are no spirits in the dark to harm 
you, that the only spirit round about us all is the loving 
God who cares for every one? Wouldn't it make a differ- 
ence to you if you could go to the mission school? There 
life would be very different from your old home, for it 
would be happy and full of love. You would have to work, 
of course, in order to learn how to care for yourself and 
your clothes, to sew, to wash, to cook, and to work in the 



INTO ALL THE WORLD 89 

fields. Yet you would learn to read, so that for yourself 
you could read the stories of Jesus, and there would be 
songs and games and all sorts of happy times. Then you 
would not mind the work, for you would remember that 
even though you were a girl, there was love for you, and 
hope for better things, and a way to be strong to conquer 
yourself. Perhaps when you grew older, you would become 
a teacher of other girls like the girl you once were, and 
help them to understand all the love you now know. Per- 
haps you would one day have a home of your own — one, 
oh, so different from that in which you lived as a little girl. 
Life for you then would be sweet. You would have seen 
the gleam and following it, would let it shine forth to 
others, that it might guide them, too. 

If You were a Boy of India 

Now suppose you were a boy, in India. Would you go 
to school? You might, if there were a school to which 
you could go, but more probably you wouldn't, for there 
are not schools enough for all the children, especially out 
in the country districts. You might not even know what 
one was. However, one day you and your friends might be 
surprised to find a '^ school '' opened by the stranger who 
had recently come to your village. How you would flock 
there, and, squatting in a circle on the floor, how you would 
listen to all his stories! Day after day you would go. 
But there would come a time when you would know all 
that your young teacher could teach you, and then how 
you would long to go to the distant city where he had been 
taught. Perhaps some day you would follow this gleam. 
You would set out on this great adventure with your 
precious treasures carried in a bundle on your back. You 
might have to walk as many as ten days before you could 



90 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

stand at the gate of the ^^ School '' and tell them you had 
come. Yet when at last you did, why did they not swing 
wide the gates? What was this they said to you? '^ What 
have you brought to pay for your school days? ^' Alas! 
you had brought nothing. Then they might say sad 
words. The school was already more than full; there 
was no way in which you could be cared for. Then back 
you must trudge, heartbroken, to your village because there 
was no room. Just suppose you were this boy! 

But perhaps you are allowed to enter the new life of 
the school. What is it you study? What does the 
school work mean? Of course^ all study English. Now 
this means more than just mastering the alphabet and 
pronouncing words property, for the words stand for 
ideas, you know, so that, by stud^dng English and read- 
ing English books, these school boys — and girls too — 
are learning English ideas and ideals. They come upon 
the w^ords patriotismy freedom, citizenship), congresSy rep- 
resentatives. Learning what these mean makes them 
think. To learn English, you see, means to come into 
touch with the ideas which have made the world prog- 
ress. Perhaps this Hindu boy who has always been 
taught that educating a girl is like putting a knife in 
the hands of a monkey, comes upon this in his reading, 
^^ The woman^s cause is man^s: they rise or fall together — 
bond or free.^^ That is a startling idea to him. He has 
to think hard over it. The study of science and geog- 
raphy upset some rather curious notions about the 
sacredness of the Ganges. He has thought that, as it 
has its source in the left foot of one of the gods, it is 
therefore a sacred stream which will sanctify all who 
bathe in it. Every day in school it is as if many new 
windows and doors are opened before him through which 



INTO ALL THE WORLD 91 

he can look at the world. Not only the eyes and brains 
but the hands also are being trained. Boys have thought 
that labor with the hands was for women, that as men 
they must not so degrade themselves. Yet in these 
mission schools they are taught to work, to make good 
roads, to build houses and furniture, to take better care 
of farms and get better cropS; to make clothes and shoes, 
to run printing-presses, to do all kinds of work, and feel 
that work is honorable. 

Opening Doors 

There are three ways in which this side of their school 
life is important. The first is the practical relief this 
training gives to the every-day hfe of the people. The 
greatest number of the people whom our missionaries 
reach are very poor. Most of them in Africa and India 
and a great many of them in Turkey make their living 
in agriculture, and as they do not know some of the 
best methods, their crops are not very large. Whenever 
a bad year causes a failure of their crops, they are near 
famine and starvation. So they are shown that simply 
using an American steel plough, which does more than 
merely scratch the surface as the native plough does, will 
make the same field bear three times as much wheat, 
and that ploughing before the rain comes, to break up 
the hard-baked surface of the ground so that the mois- 
ture will sink deep, also does much to increase the yield. 
Methods of dry farming and silage are taught, too. By 
all of these ways much is done to prevent the famines 
which so often sweep over the country. Boys and girls 
trained in these schools are better equipped to face the 
problems of earning their living and becoming inde- 
pendent self-respecting men and women. The second 



92 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

way in which this industrial training is important is that 
it helps to build Christian character. Legs of chairs 
and tables must be exactly right or they will wobble 
uncomfortably. ^^ Near enough '' won't do. Machinery 
is mercilessly accurate; the witness of the yardstick 
and the clock is not to be disputed. Thus these boys 
and girls of the lands where '^ near enough '' has long 
been the custom, are brought to realize the beauty of 
absolute accuracy, truthfulness, and honor. They are 
helped to form habits of work and overcome the Uking 
for inactivity and selfish ease. But the most important 
aspect of their school hfe is that through it they gain 
a new idea of what God is, and what he wishes them to 
be. They learn to think of him as a Father who loves 
them, who is pure and righteous, and who desires all 
men to love him, to become hke him, and to love and 
serve their fellowmen. They learn what God is because 
they learn to know Jesus. They accept Jesus as their 
master, and loyally they follow him, trying in their 
lives to show his spirit. They find strength to overcome 
their selfishness, their fear, their untruthfulness, their 
anger. They behold the gleam which has led the mis- 
sionaries over there — God's love for men and his will 
that all men should serve each other lovingly. They 
follow the gleam, too; and so they go out from the 
schools back into their own places letting the love of 
God shine through them so that in their lives and by 
their service others may catch its gleam and follow too. 
In this way all the world shall become radiant with 
God's spirit. Thus you see that the third great service 
of these mission schools in the non-Christian lands, the 
greatest service of all, is that through these leaders who 
are trained to carry on for Jesus the work just begun 



INTO ALL THE WORLD 93 

are built the new little Christian homes which will make 
by and by the Christian towns and villages, and finally 
the Christian states. Thus God's kingdom is established. 

A Ministry of Healing 

But there is still another kind of missionary work. 
Just suppose you had a very bad pain indeed, a stomach 
ache, or maybe more serious than that, a case of ap- 
pendicitis. If you were in China, the Chinese doctor 
would come and finding out where your pain was, would 
run a long needle into the spot so that the devil who 
was making all the trouble there might get out. Or 
suppose you were an Indian boy and fell — boys some- 
times do — and broke your arm or leg. Perhaps your 
arm or leg would mend by itself, but more likely it 
would not, and you could not use it again. You would 
then have to beg for a living. If you were a girl, you 
would be the servant of all in the house. Or, suppose 
that like ever and ever so many boys and girls in these 
non-Christian lands you were blind, just because your 
mother had not known how to keep your eyes clean 
when you were a tiny baby. And blind boys and girls 
in those non-Christian lands have nothing to look for- 
ward to but beggary or slavery. Surely it would make 
some difference to you — would it not? — if you could go 
to the missionaries' hospitals and there be cared for 
tenderly and made well again if that were possible. 
In India, for example, ninety out of every hundred 
people die without being able to go to a doctor, and 
people are sick chiefly because they do not know the 
simplest rules for health. Besides, before the Christian 
doctors came themselves and trained other doctors and 
nurses, the only doctors they knew were of no real use, 



94 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

and often made matters worse, for most of their remedies 
were based on the idea that evil spirits were causing 
the pain and would have to be frightened off. Nothing 
was done for the bKnd, the deaf, the cripples, the Kttle 
orphan children, not until the people in the non-Chris- 
tian lands followed the example set by the Christian 
missionaries. These deeds of theirs speak of love in a 
language that people could not fail to understand. The 
tale is told of a rough Kurdish chief in Turkey who had 
a very sore foot. He finally went to Dr. Shepard's 
hospital in Aintab. There the dirty wrappings were 
removed by a trained nurse. His foot was bathed. The 
hands of the doctor himself removed the sore and kept 
the foot clean until it was well. Why had these stran- 
gers done for him what no one of his own family would 
stoop to do? He could not solve the riddle. While 
getting well, he listened to the tales they told him of one, 
Jesus, who on earth went about doing good. Then he 
learned why, and he is not likely to forget that they 
did it for him because they loved Jesus. In the hos- 
pitals, therefore, hurt bodies are healed, and to each one 
is given also the good news Jesus brought of the love 
which will heal the heart and make new^ and joyous the 
life. 

It would be interesting to go on with accounts of the 
other work done by those who have followed the gleam 
into all the world; how they are estabhshing training 
schools for doctors and nurses, how they are preventing 
the spread of plagues and epidemics of disease by quar- 
antine and vaccination, and even preventing disease 
itself, by teaching the laws of health and right Hving 
and the importance of clean cities and towns; how they 
are busy at work in the larger cities through settle- 



INTO ALL THE WORLD 95 

ments and clubs for the boys and girls as well as older 
people employed in the factories; how they have led and 
do lead in all sorts of reforms, against the slave trade, the 
opium trafl&c, foot-binding, infanticide; and how the 
people of the non-Christian nations, even though they 
do not accept Jesus as their Lord, are imitating his 
loving care for the aged, the sick, the Wind, the deaf, 
the lepers. 

A Roll of Honor 

The adventures of our missionary leaders thrill us. 
Do you know how Cyrus Hamlin baked bread for an 
army? Do you know how Joseph Hardy Neesima came 
to America as a stowaway and returned to Japan to 
found a Christian College? Do you know how Eli 
Smith and Harrison Gray Otis Dwight disguised in 
oriental robes, turbans, and enormous Tartar stockings 
and boots, set out from Constantinople and traveled 
eastward through Persia, on a tour of exploration lasting 
a year and a quarter, having all sorts of exciting ex- 
periences and bringing back with them such a fund of 
information about the region they had visited that it is 
of practical value today? Do you know of David 
ChurchilFs loom in India which makes three times as 
much cloth an hour as its nearest competitor and thus 
enables these native weavers to compete somewhat more 
successfully with the cloths imported from England and 
Scotland? There's the story of Mrs. Mary K. Edwards, 
too, the first missionary of the Woman's Board, who in 
South Africa has long been an authority on crops and 
fertilizers, has installed an irrigation system, and when 
over seventy took a correspondence course in nursing 
in order to help her girls. Do you know the story of 



96 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

how Peter Parker, the first distinctively medical mis- 
sionary ever sent to the field by any American or 
English-speaking society, '^ opened China at the point 
of the lancet ''? Do you know how out of gratitude 
the native princes of India have built a wonderful hos- 
pital in Madura where Dr. Frank Van Allen carries on 
his work? But we cannot go on with this list — for 
the roll of honor is long indeed. You will have to 
explore for yourselves and learn the rest of this glorious 
story. Perhaps, however, enough has been told to show 
the splendor of the gleam which Samuel J. Mills and 
these others have followed, and which through them 
shines into all the w^orld. 



TO THE PUPIL 

The inspiring story of Mills is told by Thomas C. Richards in 
Samuel J. Mills — Missionary, Pathfinder, Pioneer and Promoter, 

QUESTIONS 

1. What was the vision which came to Samuel J. Mills? 

2. What happened at a Haystack in Williamstown to make it 
famous all over the world? 

3. How did the " Brethren " carry out their plans? 

4. How did the A. B. C. F. M. begin? 

5. Pretend you were an African girl; tell what going to amission 
school and learning to know Jesus would mean to you. 

6. Suppose you were a bo}'- in India; tell about your adventures 
at school and what you would Hke to do afterward. 

7. Imagine yourself a blind girl or a crippled boy at a hospital; 
what would you tell your family after you reached home? 

8. Tell the story of a missionary you admire. 

9. How are missionaries helping to establish democracy and the 
era of brotherhood in all the world? 

10. How can a person's influence reach the farthest corner of the 
world? 



VII 
FOR FREEDOM 

" Isn't it jolly to be a mounted soldier in the service of the Lord?" 

— General Samuel C, Armstrong. 

Wartimes 

When Samuel Armstrong was in college he said he 
thought he would become either a missionary or a pirate. 
Instead he became a — but read the story and see. 

During one spring vacation while visiting his brother 
in New York, he wrote to his home in Hawaii: ''It is 
no easy thing to compose oneself at this time. War is the 
only thing talked about, and almost the only thing done 
is getting up regiments and making uniforms for the 
soldiers. Thousands wear badges of one kind and another 
on their breast, indicating allegiance to the flag. The 
infants in the nurses' arms hold in their tiny hands the 
Stars and Stripes, and small boys stick little flags all over 
themselves; the drays and carts of all descriptions display 
the Union flag, and in every imaginable place the star- 
spangled banner is ' flung to the breeze.' '' 

Though not written in 1917 it sounds very much like 
those days just after the United States joined the Allies in 
the Great War to win the victory for democracy. This 
was written in 1861, when there was going on in the United 
States, between two sections of its people, a struggle to 
preserve the Union, a test whether a nation based on demo- 
cratic principles could endure. 

Armstrong's letter home goes on: ''I shall go to the war 
if I am needed, but not till then; were I an American as 
I am a Hawaiian, I should be off in a hurry. Next term 



98 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

it will be hard to remain at Williamstown^ and harder 
yet to study/^ 

So Samuel Armstrong returned to WilUamstown and 
Williams College, whither he had come from Hawaii the 
January before. His father and mother were missionaries 
of the American Board of Hawaii, and Armstrong had been 
born and brought up there. You would like to hear his 
account of those wonderfully happy days of his boyhood, 
the sailing and swimming and camping out and all the other 
good times, but that, as Kipling tells us, is another story. 
Perhaps you will read it for yourselves. At any rate, 
as Armstrong did not consider himself a citizen of the 
United States, he went back to college to prepare for his 
future work. Just what that was going to be he did not 
know. Laughingly he said he would turn out to be a 
missionary or a pirate. But underneath all his fun there 
was a serious purpose, for in another letter we find him 
writing: '^ I look forward with joy to a life of doing good.'' 
He went on with his college duties in the midst of all the 
war discussion and excitement. Just as the college stu- 
dents of 1917 did, so did those of 1861. '' I haven't told 
you," he wrote, '^ that the students are all drilling in military 
maneuvers. Each class is formed into a company and 
drills once or twice a day — it's good fun. We sent to 
Governor Andrews for muskets, but he won't let us have 
any at present." 

With the Colors 

By and by, especially toward the close of his senior year, 
he began to feel the excitement of the war more keenly. 
General McClellan had met the Confederates in two battles, 
Fair Oaks on May 31st and Gaines's Mills on June 30th, 
and the Union Army had been severely defeated. Those 



FOR FREEDOM 99 

of you who have studied the history of these days of Civil 
War, remember that General McClellan declared the rea- 
son for his defeat was lack of support, and demanded more 
soldiers. You remember, too, that when President Lincoln 
issued his call for troops, all over the country young men 
responded, '^ We're coming, Father Abraham, three hun- 
dred thousand strong/' After graduation, Sam Armstrong 
was one of these. As educated young men were much 
needed for officers, he followed the suggestion made by a 
classmate and went to Troy, New York, to recruit. He 
built a shanty on one of the public squares, and had a large 
sign stuck up, put posters around, and began to enlist men 
for a company which he would command as captain. He 
gained his quota first, so he was sworn in as Senior Captain 
of the 125th New York. 

'' August 9, 1862. 
'^ I am in sole charge of a regiment of men! The regi- 
ment is not yet completed by far, but I am officer of the 
day; the adjutant and colonel have left. It is nine o'clock 
P. M., and I am in command. I am Captain Armstrong, 
not yet commissioned, but hope to be when my company is 
filled up. I have now fifty odd men — eighty-five is the 
minimum. I am seated in the Commander's tent; my 
chair rests on the ground; I write by the Ught of a lantern. 
I have on a sword and sash and military overcoat. The 
tents stretch across the field at a little distance and look 
beautiful. This is strange enough for me. I have secured 
my position by the fairest means. Such a life I never led 
before — how this recruiting business lets one into human 
nature — it is the best school I ever had." 

By the end of August they were off. Armstrong thor- 
oughly enjoyed this sort of life. He was a good captain, 



100 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

too, as this little incident which his brother tells shows. 
While he was talking with him as they were camped in 
City Hall Park on their way through New York, one of his 
men asked, ^' I say, Captain, where can I get a drink of 
water? " Armstrong started off to get it. When his 
brother said he didn't think it was very good miUtary 
discipline for the captain to be running round for water for 
his men, Armstrong answered, '* The men must have water. 
I'm bound to see that they get it/' He shared all the 
difficulties and hardships of his men. In a dangerous 
place he thought only of them and took the most dangerous 
place himself. He looked out for their comfort in every 
way, finding the best places possible for them to spend the 
night, getting them hot coffee wherever he could, and stay- 
ing with them in hard times, not scooting off with other 
captains to find more pleasant quarters. He exacted strict 
discipline, but the men obeyed him and followed him loyally. 

The Young Captain's Purpose 

The first engagement in which Armstrong and his men 
took part was that in which ^' Stonewall " Jackson captured 
Harper's Ferry. After some months on parole he was back 
in Virginia as part of the Reserves of the Army of the 
Potomac. After the defeat of General Burnside at Fred- 
ericksburg, December 17, there were anxious times. He 
frequently changed camp, and knew the discomfort of 
cold and snow and night marches, as w^ell as the pleasanter 
side of camp life with his comrades round the campfire. 
The constant danger he faced made him grow more serious, 
and he began to feel more sure of his own part in the great 
struggle. Up to this time men had been fighting to pre- 
serve the Union of the States, but with Abraham Lincoln's 
proclamation that after January 1, 1863, all the negro race 



FOR FREEDOM 101 

should be freed from slavery, men fought to preserve a 
union of states in which there was no slavery, in which 
'^ all men were born free and equal/' 

That Christmas Eve of 1862, just before the Emancipa- 
tion Proclamation was to have effect, Armstrong sat in 
his tent writing on an old box-cover his letter home. Out- 
side snow was falling; men were busy building huts and 
fires, laughing and shouting at their work. ^^ What to do 
as things now look I don't Imow — what am I fighting for? 
But the first day of January is at hand — possibly the 
greatest day in American history — when the sons of 
Africa shall be free. To wait until that day I am content 
and then I shall know for what I am contending — for 
freedom and for the oppressed. I shall then be willing to 
go into the fight, and you will feel less grieved if I fall for 
such a cause. You and I will then have occasion to con- 
gratulate ourselves that our family is represented in the 
greatest struggle of modern times for the most sacred 
principles.'' That last sentence has in it the spirit of the 
boys of 1917. 

About the same time he wrote a college friend: *^ Chum, 
I am a sort of abolitionist, but I haven't learned to love 
the negro. I believe in universal freedom; I believe the 
whole world cannot buy a single soul. The Almighty 
has set or rather limited the price of one man, and until 
worlds. can be paid for a single negro, I don't believe in 
selling or buying them. I go in then for freeing them, more 
on account of their souls than their bodies, I assure you." 

Under Fire 

Armstrong's first trial of real warfare was the Battle 
of Gettysburg. The events of the battle and its important 
results we know from history. Armstrong's part in it we 



102 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

learn from his letters to his mother. You will want to 
hear him tell about it. 

*' Battlefield near Gettysburg. 

'^ The night before the battle we lay out in the woods, 
five miles from Gettysburg. All was quiet, and as I was 
lying on my back in the open air, looking up into the sky 
through the tall and leafy oak trees, I wondered what 
would happen on the morrow. ... I felt no quaking, 
but an anxiety for my own future condition and for those 
who loved me on earth. I soon fell asleep and slept soundly. 

^' On the 2nd of July we were drawn up between two 
batteries (one Confederate, one Union) and sustained a 
severe cannonade, lying on our faces in an orchard — 
that is, most of us. I preferred to take my chance standing 
and watching the fight and seeing the skirmishers and sharp- 
shooters pick each other off. After some time, about five 
P.M., our brigade was marched off to the left center, formed 
into line and charged into a valley full of Rebs, who were 
sheltered by a dense growth of underbrush. 

^' As we advanced with fixed bayonets and began to fire, 
they yelled out from among the trees, ^ Don't fire on your 
own men! ' We ceased firing, and the Rebs who had so 
deceived us gave us ' Hail Columbia ' and dropped some 
of our best men. Those fellows were the famous ' Louisi- 
ana Tigers ' — but we rushed at them with fixed bayonets, 
drove them out of the brush and then plunged our fire into 
them as they ran. . . . The bullets whistled by me by 
scores, but I didn't mind them, though all the while per- 
fectly conscious of what might happen. Well, we peppered 
away at them and charged furiously and drove them like 
sheep. But we were ordered to fall back . . . and re- 
turned in order to our old ground. 

'' This was our first fight — my first; a long and great 



FOR FREEDOM 103 

curiosity was satisfied. Men fell dead all around me. 
The sergeant who stands behind me when in line was 
killed and heaps were wounded. In the charge after the 
Rebs I was pleasantly, though perhaps dangerously, situated. 
I did not allow a man to get ahead of me. 

" Next day I was sent to the line of skirmishers with 
my division (two companies). It was an ugly place 
— the two lines lay about one hundred yards apart, 
rather less in some places, and the sharpshooters were 
butchering each other to no purpose whatever. Both 
were crouched down flat on their faces behind fences or 
in the grass, and away they popped all the morning; 
I took position on the advanced line, lying down behind 
some rails; but I was often on my feet to give orders, 
and then I would always hear bullets whistle over and 
past me. Finally we were ordered to charge the Rebel 
skirmishers. It was a foolish order — a fatal one. I 
led that charge, if anyone did, jumping to my feet and 
waving my sword for the men to follow, and rushing 
toward the sharpshooters, some of whom ran on our 
approach, while others waited to pick off a few of us. 
There were four captains in that charge; two were killed 
near me and one wounded. I escaped though I was 
within fifty yards of the Rebs. We drove them and 
broke their line, but they rallied in great force and de- 
liberately advanced. Then it was hot. The bullets 
flew like hail over my head and it was not safe lying 
down. Many were hit near me, and after nearly all 
our men had fallen back, I ran back to the former line, 
which we held. . . . Finally the Rebels came out of 
the woods in three long lines several hundred yards 
apart, with glittering bayonets and battle flags flying, 
[This was Pickett's charge.] It was grand to see those 



104 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

masses coming up, and I trembled for our cause. 
I rushed to the skirmish line, saw our opportunity (I 
was then with the reserves) returned and assembled the 
reserves, and with the men and officers of the Eighth 
Ohio Volunteers hurried toward the flank of the Rebel 
lines and gave them fits. Then it was grand. I'll 
tell you my fix. I was exposed to the fire of our own 
artillery from the rear, from the Rebel batteries in front, 
and from the musketry of their line of battle. Many 
around me were hit, but Providence spared me, although 
I was in advance and, if anybody did, led that attack. 
. . . But I cannot describe the battlefield. ... I may 
say here to you that I have made what inward prep- 
aration I can for death. I keep a little volume of 
Psalms with me and strive to act the soldier of Christ. 
Don't be anxious for me. The God above does all things 
well. There are more battles to be fought and I must 
fight. My sensations in battle are not strange. I feel 
simply resolved to do my best, to lead my men, and to 
accept my fate hke a man.'' 

A Colonel of Colored Troops 

This battle was a turning-point in history. It was 
also a crisis in Armstrong's life. The great battle showed 
him a deeper side of life. Of the five officers in his 
charge on the Rebel flank, he alone returned. For what 
had he been spared? It tested his will-power, his 
ability to plan and carry out an action, and to control 
himself when in great danger. He became more devoted 
than ever to the cause of the black man's freedom. 
'^ There are more battles to be fought and I must 
fight." Before long, while he was north on recruiting 
service, the idea of commanding black troops took firm 



FOR FREEDOM 105 

hold of his mind. In November he passed the exam- 
inations, one of four out of the eighty-five who took 
them, which entitled him to be a colonel of colored 
troops. He and the other officers, in undertaking this 
work, believed in the negroes; others did not. They 
risked their reputation as generals if the negroes failed 
to make good troops. Besides this, in battle, as the 
popular way of wording the decree of the Confederate 
Congress went, ^' no quarter would be given to ^ nigger ' 
officers.'^ 

On the last night which he spent with his old regi- 
ment he wrote of his new work as follows: 

'^ I go to untried scenes, but with no fear to meet the 
future. The negro troops have not yet entirely proved 
themselves good soldiers, but if the negroes can be made 
to fight well, then is the question of their freedom 
settled. 

^^ I tell you the present is the grandest time the world 
ever saw. The African race is before the world, unex- 
pectedly to all, and all mankind are looking to see 
whether the African will show himself equal to the op- 
portunity before him. And what is the opportunity? 
It is to demonstrate to the world that he is a man, 
that he has the highest elements of manhood, courage, 
perseverance and honor; that he is not only worthy of 
freedom, but able to win it, so he has a chance.'' 

Armstrong was eager that the African should have his 
chance. He knew how all men respected heroism and 
mihtary success. He felt sure that if the negroes could 
show they had these qualities they would be made free; 
they would show they were too noble for slaves. Nations 
would despise a country for enslaving men who had 
saved her own independence. For these reasons he con- 



106 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

eluded, ^' I gladly lend myself to the experiment, to 
this issue. It will yet be a grand thing to have been 
identified with this negro movement/' In December he 
took charge of six companies of the Ninth Regiment 
United States Colored Troops and .worked hard. He 
insisted on a high standard of neatness in the camp and 
in individual quarters. He always made his tent look 
as attractive as possible and his men naturally followed 
his example. Trees were set out to shade the company 
streets, which were kept nicely sanded. When his men 
went to the hospital he visited them there. At Christ- 
mas the officers subscribed money to purchase an ox, 
which was roasted whole for the regiment. In those 
days there were no Y. M. C. A. huts for the soldiers, so 
the officers organized games and sports, such as sack 
racing, climbing a greased pole, a greased pig chase, 
trials of strength at rope pulling, etc. '' My regiment,'' 
says Armstrong, '^ won all the prizes and had during 
the day three times as much sport as any other. The 
men said they had never had such a Christmas before. 
The roast ox was eaten for supper. During the after- 
noon I had most of the officers get horses. Some got 
horses, some got colts, some got mules, and I drilled the 
squad at parade ground, also ran races and cut up gen- 
erally; had a high old time. 

" I feel more in my element since being a mounted 
officer. [In Hawaii as a boy Armstrong was exceedingly 
fond of long gallops on his horse.] I have got along 
finely with my regiment. Have the finest camp in the 
brigade, and the Ninth is acknowledged to lead the rest. 
The regiment next us had six weeks' start of us and 
today they are not over one week ahead of us in drill 
and far behind us in everything else. We expect to 



FOR FREEDOM 107 

beat everything around in everything, and we are in a 
fair way to do it/' 

Soon after this a school was opened for these colored 
soldiers, and Colonel Armstrong was made president of 
the '^ college/' '' An old secesh tobacco barn, cleaned out, 
ventilated, and illuminated by a few tallow candles; 
well seated and holds five hundred men'' — that was his 
description of it. The school was held two hours by 
day and two hours in the evening. The soldiers groped 
after the very least bit of knowledge. Most were only 
learning their letters, but they made remarkable progress. 
^' At such time," Armstrong wrote, ^' one realizes the 
curse that has been upon them. Slavery makes brutes 
of men and then refuses to give them freedom because 
they are so brutish." 

Armstrong became more and more enthusiastic over 
his work. ''It is no sacrifice for me to be here; it is 
rather a glorious opportunity, and I would be nowhere 
else than here if I could, and nothing else than an 
officer of colored troops if I could. . . . T have felt, 
and do feel, like a very apostle of human liberty strik- 
ing the deadliest possible blow at oppression; and what 
duty is more glorious than that? " 

A New Challenge 

Led by such a commander, it is no wonder that the 
troops proved themselves all he hoped they would be. 
The more he saw of them and the better he understood 
them, the more he came to value their good qualities. 
Often and often he pondered over the question of their 
future. It would not be enough to free their bodies. 
He was fighting to free their souls. Winning this war 
would free their bodies, but if there were nothing more 



108 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

than this done for them, they would be in an even 
greater slavery. They had not learned that control, 
that mastery of self, which makes men really free. Nor 
could they earn their own livings; they were apt to be 
lazy and happy-go-lucky. They were ignorant. They 
would not be able to take an intelligent part in the 
affairs of the community, the state, and the nation. 
They would still be slaves to their own worst selves. 
Surely they deserved a chance. He had tested their 
courage in battle. He had proved their loyalty and 
devotion. He had learned the strength of their affec- 
tion. No wonder the young colonel was proud of their 
splendid showing in an engagement where, owing to his 
enforced absence in the hospital, they were led by 
another. He wrote to his mother about it thus: ''My 
regiment was sent alone and unsupported to attack a 
tremendously powerful fort supported by two other 
strong forts, and also by a heavy line of breastworks 
[This was Fort Gilman, one of the main defenses of 
Richmond, which the Union armies were at that time 
besieging], and before the immense line was a very large, 
deep ditch and slashed timber for over half a mile, 
making it almost impossible even to get to the enemy^s 
lines. The Ninth went in nobly, was raked and cut to 
pieces, and finally fell back before a hellish fire of grape, 
canister, shrapnel, and shell from these forts. To go 
forward would have been certain destruction. The 
negroes never turned their backs, but walked steadily 
' into the mouth of hell ' until the commanding officer 
ordered a retreat. About one-third of the regiment wa^a 
hors de combat. No men were ever braver than these 
slaves of Maryland. I was, of course, absent, but the 
officers of the regiment were heard, after they came 



FOR FREEDOM 109 

back, to curse the general who managed them so badly 
and to ' thank God Colonel Armstrong was not there, 
for if he had been there they would all have been in hell 
or in Richmond.' They don't expect to get the order 
from me to retreat." 

Do you wonder that the young soldier longed to do 
something for men who had such capabilities as these? He 
not only longed to do it, he determined to do it. What 
and how he could best help them was his question. 

For the Souls of the Negroes 

The colored troops were not disbanded immediately, 
at the close of the war. Shortly after, Armstrong, who was 
now a general, was sent as commander of the Eighth United 
States Colored Troops down to the border in Texas to se- 
cure the boundary lines during trouble in Mexico. Years 
afterwards he tells that it was on this trip that there came 
to him the great plan by which he felt sure the African race 
could be made really free. He was fond of sitting at sunset 
on one of the huge paddle-boxes watching the western sky, 
delighting in the gorgeous coloring of sea and sky. Below 
him on the decks were the men, enjoying just now the music 
of their regimental band, happy and full of life, very much 
like children. As the nights were warm, many of them also 
slept on deck. As Armstrong watched them one evening 
while the sunset colors faded and the stars came out, he 
was often reminded of the Hawaiians among whom he had 
grown up as a boy. They were very much alike, these 
two races, yet the Africans had a future ahead of them; 
they were not, like the Hawaiians, a declining race. He 
thought of home, too, and as he watched the stars he counted 
them, as he had done in childhood. He smiled at the recol- 
lection. Then he had counted the stars in quite a different 



no PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

spirit, for he had been obliged to continue to hoe melons or 
corn or summer squash until he could count seven stars. 
How he had hated that manual labor drill! But it had 
helped make a man of him, and he knew it had helped 
many an Hawaiian lad to become strong, self-reliant, and 
independent. Then like a gleam of light, there came to him 
the thought: Why not give this kind of training to the 
African race? Is it not just the kind which will help to 
make men and women out of them? Up till now their 
drudgery has been the sign of their slavery; they will need 
to learn that labor is honorable. He lay there on the deck 
a long time that evening, thinking over this plan. How to 
carry it out was now the question. 

When the negro troops were mustered out, General 
Armstrong had to decide what his next work w^as to be. 
Many were his plans. He was offered a lieutenant-colonelcy 
in the First United States Colored Cavalry; his brothers 
suggested business openings; he himself had thoughts of 
entering the Freedmen's Bureau, just then becoming 
prominent in the work for the negro. ^^ There may be a 
place for me in the struggle for right and wrong in this 
country,'' he thought. '' I have not given myself to arms, 
although I have been one of the most fortunate of soldiers. 
... I shall seek some chance of usefulness where I can use 
my talents to the most advantage and for the cause of 
humanity. My purpose is to serve the Great Master in 
some way as well as I can; to be of use to my fellow men, 
to give the Ufe so marvelously spared and wonderfully 
blessed to the source of all mercy and blessing.'' 

An Enlistment for Peace 

When he first appKed to the Freedmen's Bureau, he was 
told that there was no vacancy. So after visiting friends 



FOR FREEDOM 111 

in Washington, he decided to return to New York. Satchel 
in hand, on his way to the train, he called again at the 
offices of the Bureau, just to see if by chance any opening 
had occurred. As he opened the door, he was greeted with: 
'< We've a great lot of contrabands (negroes) down on the 
Virginia Peninsula and can't manage them; no one has 
had success in keeping them straight. General Howard 
thinks you might try it." It was part of Armstrong's 
nature to like to overcome obstacles. This opening ap- 
pealed to him for many reasons. He accepted a double 
appointment, Agent of the Bureau and Superintendent of 
Schools of a district in Virginia. 

Armstrong's post was at the village of Hampton, a few 
miles from Fort Monroe. He said it was a glorious field 
of labor. This was it: " Congregated in little villages some 
five thousand colored people crowded, squalid, poor and 
idle. It is my work to scatter and renovate them. . . . 
I have about a dozen officers under me, though I am a 
civilian [he had received his discharge from the Army] 
and have a glorious field of labor. 

'' This place is historic. A little above here is James- 
town, in my district, where the first settlers came, and 
the ruins of their church are standing. In my field were 
fought many hard battles, and some of my own. 

" This Hampton has been the city of refuge of the negroes 
throughout the war. Here they came from all Virginia 
to seek freedom, food and a home; hither caravans daily 
poured in for months with young, old and helpless, and 
here they built their little cabins and did what they could. 

" Here were raised several colored regiments, which took 
the men and left the women helpless — and oh, the misery 
there has been — it can never be told. But the worst is 
over. The men came not back, since most were killed, 



112 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

disabled, or died, and here are their famihes in my charge; 
and they are a great care; we issue eighteen thousand 
rations a day to those who would die of starvation were it 
not for this, and keep their children at school, and get them 
work and prevent injustice. Take us away and the negroes 
might as well all be hanged at once. 

'' Providence seemed to put me in just the place I 
wanted. 

^^ The work is splendid, and if God leads me as he has 
done I shall have nothing to fear — all will be well." 

Besides the work of meeting the needs of the war suffer- 
ers and laying plans for their future help, Armstrong took 
long horseback rides out through the Virginia pine woods 
and tours of several days in his boat, with only a negro boy 
as helper, for the purpose of looking after the schools. 
Many faithful missionary teachers there were, and many 
eager African pupils too, in the little log schoolhouses. 
The more he saw of the work, the more firmly he believed 
that the greatest need of this newly freed race, who were yet 
in a bondage to ignorance and weakness, was training 
in common morality and habits of work and foresight. 
^* The North generally thinks that the great thing is to 
free the negro from his former owners; the real thing is 
to save him from himself." He agreed with the former 
slaveholder that to put a covering of learning over the 
negro would be dangerous and fooUsh. He agreed with 
the Northerner that, as a human being, the negro deserved 
a fair chance. He saw how to give him that chance. The 
plan of a school where industrial training had a large place 
formed in his mind. This is such a well estabhshed part of 
our public-school work today, that it is hard for us to reaHze 
what a novelty it was when Armstrong proposed ^^ In 
the few schools in the North where it had been t. . , it 



FOR FREEDOM 113 

had not proved successful. People did not believe in this 
sort of school. 

An Institute for the Building of Men 

In the early part of the 3'^ear 1867 he wrote an important 
letter to the American Missionary Association, one of the 
Congregational Societies, at the time the wealthiest or- 
ganization interested in helping the negro, particularly in 
educating him. He suggested that there at Hampton 
was just the place to establish a permanent work, and recom- 
mended that the Association buy a certain tract of land on 
Hampton River, a valuable estate. The Association very 
promptly decided that a school should be placed there 
under its direction. Armstrong did not expect to have 
charge of it, but only to help. However, when the Associa- 
tion asked him to be its principal, he said, '^ Yes. Till 
then my future had been blind; it had only been clear that 
there was a work to be done for the ex-slave and where 
and how to do it.'' 

He threw himself with all his splendid energy into this 
work of building up Hampton Normal and Industrial 
Institute. Armstrong's struggles were not all over. He 
might have written, as he wrote after the battle of Gettys- 
burg, ^' There are still battles to be fought, and I must 
fight." It was uphill work raising money to put up the 
buildings and make them ready for the students, to provide 
support and tools for the manual training work, and books 
for study. He wanted to send them out strong in the 
strength of Christ, able to earn their living by a trade, and 
able to teach their fellows how to help themselves. Before 
long the towers of the Hampton buildings could be seen 
for mil<^? around. This meant more than the fact that 
there :ij.b here a normal school for negroes. These towers 



114 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

stood for the faith in their race of one man who dared risk 
financial reputation as well as social position in their be- 
half. Armstrong often called the first building " my 
monument/' For the next twenty years his story is that 
of the growth of the Hampton School. There was always 
money to raise to carry on the work and enlarge it. More- 
over there was the harder task of making people believe in 
the form of industrial education for the negro. Before 
long Indian students came too. The story of Hampton 
and Armstrong's conquest of obstacles is fascinating. 
But he said, ^^ Isn't it jolly to be a mounted soldier in 
the service of the Lord/' and kept on? You will perhaps 
some day find out for yourselves all that story. 

What Hampton meant to the boys and girls who went 
there is shown most clearly in the Hfe of one of its best 
known graduates, Booker T. Washington. He had been 
born a slave. As a little boy he had heard of this wonderful 
school and walked miles and miles to enter it. When he 
died he was the president of a similar great institution for 
his race. The Tuskegee Institute. Reading his own story, 
Up from Slavery y you will realize what Samuel Armstrong's 
Ufe meant to him, and when you think that Booker T. 
Washington was just one of the many people General Arm- 
strong helped, you will realize how far and how deep his 
influence has gone, how greatly he has helped to make the 
African and the Indian races truly free, and how gloriously 
victorious he has been as a soldier of Jesus. 

How Congregationalists Carry On 

You will be glad to learn that this great task of freeing 
the souls of these races from ignorance and from sin is 
going on through other schools besides Hampton and 
Tuskegee, which are now no longer partly helped by 



FOR FREEDOM 115 

the American Missionary Association. Besides them, 
there are many, many others. Congregational people, 
through the American Missionary Association, have 
for the African race alone six colleges, forty preparatory 
schools, seventeen of which are farm schools, and three 
more for the special training of ministers. Besides this, 
the Association has work for the Indians, and the Eskimos, 
the Orientals out on the western coast, the Spanish- 
speaking people along the southwestern borders, and the 
Highlanders in the mountains of the south, Abraham 
Lincoln's people. All of these races belong to the United 
States, but need to be given freedom in its very highest 
sense, the freedom which comes from owning Jesus 
Christ as Master and devoting one's Ufe to his 
service. 

We Congregationahsts have yet to help win the 
victory for these people for whom the American Mis- 
sionary Association is working. General Armstrong felt 
that the work at Hampton was given him as a trust 
from the nation. He felt that making men and women 
out of the individuals of these backward races was a 
work which God's Providence had especially given to 
this nation to be done. The work we Congregation- 
ahsts do through the American Missionary Association 
is splendidly patriotic, both for our nation and that new 
era of world brotherhood which is to be. How splendid 
are General Armstrong's words: '^ It would be wrong 
to humanity to fail, and the way is clear — God has 
not darkened the way, but his hand points to a 
steep and craggy height; it must be climbed. I will 
climb it. 

'* There are more battles to be fought, and I must 
fight." 



116 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

TO THE PUPIL 

You will surely like to know more about this gallant soldier than 
this story tells. Read Samuel Chapman Armstrong, by Edith Arm- 
strong Talbot. Up from Sla/very is a thrilling tale of progress. You 
would like that, too. 

QUESTIONS 

1. Tell how Samuel Armstrong joined the colors in the fight for 
freedom. 

2. Why would you have been glad to follow a captain like him? 

3. What was Samuel Armstrong fighting to win? 

4. What part did he have in the Battle of Gettysburg? 

5. What sort of man does this battle show him to be? 

6. Why did he become an officer of colored troops? Why was this 
a hard thing to do? 

7. How did he train his regiment? 

8. How did his men prove good soldiers? 

9. Why did he not stop fighting for the freedom of the African 
race when the war was over? 

10. How did he carry on his next campaign for their freedom? 

11. In what ways has he won some great battles in this campaign? 

12. How do Congregationahsts carry forward this campaign today? 



VIII 
BROTHERS ALL 

"As ye did it unto one of these my brothers, even these least, ye 
did it unto me." — Matt. 25: 40. 

Edward's Puzzle 

Edward Steiner did not go to the service in the syna- 
gogue that Sabbath morning. He ran away, instead, to 
the meadows near the river where all was sunshine and 
flowers. It was more fun to help the goose-girl look 
after the goslings, or else make willow whistles with the 
other boys and girls and share their games. It was 
glorious June. The creek, the willows, the flowers, the 
birds, the fluffy yellow goslings — all these seemed to 
welcome him. But the children, vv^ith yells and shouts 
and brandishings of sticks drove him back. ^^ Go off, 
little schid! Go back where you belong, Christ-killer! '' 

And Edward, remembering the bloody nose one of 
them had given him only the day before because he 
would not bow to the cross where hung the wooden 
figure of a man, turned sadly away. What did it all 
mean? No one ever explained to him, yet he dimly felt 
that it was in some way because of the One on the cross 
that he so suffered and was hurt. Back he trudged up 
the hill. He would have to go back to the dusty cob- 
blestones of the village street. Behind him he could 
hear the shouts of the boys at play in the sunshine and 
flowers of the river meadows. He used to play with 
them once. Why could he not now share with them? 
Only last winter when one of his playmates became a 



118 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

helper in the household of the Protestant pastor, he had 
assisted him in the work, pumping the organ, polishing 
the communion set, or ringing the bells for Christian 
worship as often as he. At the last Christmas time, 
two others of his friends, who were choir boys at the 
Catholic church, invited him to take the part of one of 
the Three Wise Men who should travel about the town 
in search of the star, the crib, and the child. He had 
spent all his pocket money for gilt paper to make the 
crowns and the star. Well he remembered the kicks 
and beatings they had received. But then Edward 
smiled a bit as he remembered, too, how kind the pany^s 
sister had been to take him in, wash his face and smooth 
his clotheSj and fill his pockets with nuts and apples 
and sweets, saying as she kissed him goodbye, '' Our 
Lord was once a little Jewish boy just Hke you.'' He 
paused here under the acacia trees, and threw himself 
on the ground to rest. It was very strange. Edward 
shook his head sadly. Why had they so changed? He 
was just as ready to give them his slices of rye bread 
and butter as ever before. Yes, even though he should 
be punished for it again. How his brother had beaten 
him for giving away his bread that day he had run 
away from home! Even the goose-girl had changed 
since then, for that very day she and her friends had 
met him on the road, and she had pulled him up be- 
side her on the wagon, inviting him to go along w4th 
them to visit the Mother of God in the town of Maria's 
Bosom not far away, where there was a pool of water 
in which the sick bathed and were made well by the 
blessing of Mary the Virgin. Such crowds of people as 
they had seen; such honey cakes in various forms they 
had to eat! The goose-girl had bought the Twelve 



I 



BROTHERS ALL 119 

Apostles, and each had eaten six. Yet he recalled too 
how the driver had thrown him off before they were 
half-way home, and how his stern uncle had found him 
on the road, sobbing and limping along., and had brought 
him home. Yes, it was from this time that the dif- 
ference had been felt. Next day it was that he had 
begun the study of Hebrew with his uncle and been 
forbidden to play with the Gentile children. It was 
hard to understand. 

The Soldier from America 

But by this time he felt rested and he trudged on into 
the town. Entering the square before the Black Eagle 
Inn, he saw the crowds gathered to greet the arrival 
of the omnibus, that every day came from the world 
outside beyond the high hill, bringing the news of the 
great world and sometimes some passengers, who, worn 
and sleepy, had traveled all night on this springless 
vehicle. He forgot about his troubles as he hurried to 
join the crowd, for it was great fun watching the pas- 
sengers arrive. They had to crawl feet first out of the 
narrow window, which was also the only means of exit. 
Already the clatter of hoofs and rattle of wheels told of 
its approach. Through the great clouds of dust Edward 
could see the lumbering old omnibus sway from side to 
side of the rough road. The driver lashed his horses 
to one last attempt at a gallop, until they came to a 
stop, steaming with heat, before the door of the Inn. 
The driver descended and threw back the leather cur- 
tains of the window. 

'^ How many passengers today? '' called one of the crowd. 

^^ Three-quarters of a man/' laughed the driver in 
reply. 



120 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

The crowd gasped. Edward almost forgot to breathe 
as he watched first a wooden leg appear, then a real leg 
follow and feel for the step, after that a back covered 
with a blue coat, loom up, and finally the man stand 
before him, three-quarters of a man to be sure, for one 
sleeve of the blue coat hung empty. A queer looking 
soft hat shaded his face. An the driver pulled out a 
marvelous brass-bound trunk, the stranger waved his 
cane at the crowd, who stood gaping at him, cried, 
'^ Right about, face! March! " and hobbled to the Inn. 

Edward followed at his heels and, when the man was 
finally seated, stood as near him as he dared. At 
length the stranger noticed Edward. ^^ Why are you 
looking at mC; youngster? '' he said. ^^ Have you never 
seen three-quarters of a man before? What's your 
name? '' and he took a long pull at his bottle of palenka, 
the peasants' drink. Edward told him. 

^^ Come here,'' and he patted Edward's curly fair hair. 
'^ I am a Jew myself." 

'^ Oh, no! " answered Edward. '^ You cannot be. No 
Jew ever drinks palenkaJ^ 

'^ Boy," he answered, ^^ I am three-quarters of a man, 
but not even one-quarter of a Jew. I have been to war, 
where I lost my arm and my leg, and I have been in 
America, where I lost my religion." Then he ordered a 
pork roast for dinner, which was contrary to Jewish 
custom. 

Edward stared at him in amazement. He had come 
from that far-away land of America. Only last fort- 
night two wonderful things had come from there to 
Edward's home in that Hungarian town, the sewing- 
machine and the oil lamp. Now this man was come 
from America! He'd heard the teacher tell about the 



BROTHERS ALL 121 

land across the great sea ever and ever so far: one day 
by omnibus, four days and nights by the railroad, and 
then fourteen days across the yam (the great sea) in a 
ship that bobbed about like a nutshell on the pottock 
(the creek), and that at any moment might spill you out 
to be eaten by the fish, which were especially fond of 
curly-headed boys. That's what the teacher had told 
him when he'd asked him how to go to America, long 
ago, when he had been just a little boy, and the parrot 
who had told his fortune had said he was to travel a 
great distance and marry a rich wife. He knew I And 
now here was this three-quarters of a man who had 
come back across the great yam. He was a Jew, too, 
and was going to eat roast pork. To save him from 
that sin, to save even the one-quarter Jew in him, he said, 

*^ Come home with me, sir, and eat a good kosher 
Sabbath dinner/' 

Edward felt sure that his mother would not object, 
especially if he explained that he had saved the man 
from eating roast pork, and that he had come from 
America. Proudly the boy conducted the Jewish soldier 
through the streets to his home. Many doors and 
windows were opened, while many heads peered out to 
get a ghmpse of the stranger. ^^ Who was he? Who 
was he? Where had he been? " 

Edward's Hero 

Edward's house became the center of interest, for 
this old townsman had run away from home years ago 
and after many adventures reached America. Here he 
had fought in the war to save the Union, and when he 
had been discharged, pensioned, he had come home to 
die. They brought the brass-bound trunk to his house 



122 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

too, for Edward's mother kept old ^^ Uncle Joe " there, 
'^ No doubt this holds his treasures/' the neighbors ex- 
plained to Edward. Treasures they were, to be sure! 
What Edward liked best were the flag — a wonderful 
flag of red and white stripes and white stars on a blue 
field — a picture of a sad-faced man whom '^ Uncle Joe '' 
called Father Abraham, even though he was not a Jew, 
and two books: one was in German, the history of the 
Civil War, and this Edward soon knew by heart; the 
other w^as Uncle Tom's Cabin, which ^' Uncle Joe " 
translated to him over and over. Every day he heard 
about this land of freedom from one who had been 
there, and soon he too learned to love the flag and 
Abraham Lincoln, who, though born a poor boy in a 
log cabin, became a president and led a great African 
race out of slavery. 

He longed to do a great deed such as this. The peasants 
in his country suffered much and were heavily taxed. At 
school he gathered together a group of boys and preached 
to them about the troubles of these people and the harshness 
of the government as they knew it in the persons of the 
wicked judge and the cruel police. He urged them to help 
him free these peasant slaves and, if need be, fight for them. 
Instead, they laughed and told the teacher of Edward's 
queer ideas. The teacher tried to whip them out of him. 
Then it was, when he came home too sore to walk, that he 
found comfort in looking at Abraham Lincoln's face. For 
years he treasured this picture which Uncle Joe gave him 
at his death, because it reminded him of the good will he 
longed to show and the benefits he wished to give to the 
common people and because it inspired him with hope and 
courage. The desire grew strong within him to go to 
America himself. 



BROTHERS ALL 123 

At the Passover Feast 

This desire was made all the greater by another happen- 
ing of those days. It was Passover time, and Edward, 
instead of going to the services in the synagogue with his 
cousins and uncle, had remained at home to help his mother 
make ready for the Passover feast. After the windows 
were shuttered and barred, the shining brass candlesticks 
were placed on the table, the pewter platter filled with un- 
leavened bread, the bitter herbs portioned out, and all the 
silver goblets made ready for the wine, Edward set the most 
beautiful cup of all at the place nearest the door; that was 
for the Prophet Elijah, ^^ Do you suppose he^ll come, 
mother? '^ he asked anxiously. 

^' Yes, I am sure he will, though I have never seen him.'' 

Just then the shouts of the crowd outside grew more 
angry and a stone crashed against the shutters, breaking 
several panes of glass in the windows. Edward was a bit 
afraid, though he would not admit it. 

^^ We shall have more need of him than ever,'' his mother 
went on, and Edward noticed that even more earnestly 
than usual she said the prayer as she lighted the fire to burn 
up all the scraps of leaven. Soon came the uncle and cous- 
ins with tales of stones crashing through the windows of 
the synagogue, and the ever increasing anger of an ever 
larger mob. Nevertheless Uncle Isaac prepared for the 
solemn service of prayer and praise that commemorated 
the deliverance of their people under the guidance of 
Moses from the bondage in Egypt. Jubilantly he chanted 
the ancient psalms, but more and more tremblingly did 
Edward murmur the responses, for the noise and tumult 
outside grew greater and greater, and the stones crashed 
against the shutters more often. At last, just as it came 
time for a door to be set open to let the Prophet Elijah 



124 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

enter, the duty which was Edward's, it seemed as if the 
crowd outside were making ready an assault upon the front 
door, with crowbars prying at the hinges. Edward felt 
cold all over and quite unable to move from his seat to 
fulfil the task. Just then a cheery, strong voice was heard 
above the shouts, 

'' Hello, good Christians, is this the way you celebrate 
Easter? Is this the way our risen Lord taught you to 
treat your neighbors? '' 

There was a silence. Then he heard one reply, ^^ Sir, 
they have stolen aw^ay Anushka and killed her, and now they 
drink her blood.'' 

^' That's not true," answered the voice again. '' Go 
to the Black Eagle Inn. There you will find Anushka! 
Drop that stone, you youngster. Here, man, lay down that 
crowbar. Go to the Inn and see if I do not speak truly." 

Slowly, with mutterings they within the house could not 
understand, the crowd left. 

^^ Open the door, my son," said the mother in the quiet 
that followed, '' for the Prophet Elijah." Not a whit 
afraid now, Edward quickly sprang to obey. In walked 
a gentle-faced man, at whom all looked in amazement. 

^' It is the pastor," said the mother smiling gratefully. 
'' Be seated, sir." 

He sat down in the only empty chair, the one kept for 
the Prophet. '^ Drink," the mother invited. He raised 
to his lips the beautiful cup, from which no mortal had 
ever drunk, and set it reverently down. 

Edward was astonished. He watched his uncle anxiously, 
but evidently lie did not know what to do. Here sat a 
Christian pastor in the seat sacred to the Prophet! He 
had drunk from the Prophet's cup. 

Then the pastor, rising, explained what had brought 



BROTHERS ALL 125 

him, and how he had tried to prevent the people from 
gathering, and how he had searched long and at last found 
the girl whose sudden running away had caused all the 
trouble. '^ You know/' he said, ^' our religion does not 
teach hatred of the Jews/' 

'^ But there is hate,'' gasped Uncle Isaac. ^^ They are 
ready to kill us." 

'' That may be true, Isaac Bolsover," replied the gentle 
man. " Yet I have faced a dozen mobs today to save 
your people because a Prophet greater than Elijah has 
taught me to love my neighbors and even my enemies. 
I am here tonight because I have tried to obey that com- 
mand. Some day all men will obey that command, too." 

'^ You did that! You did that for our sakes! " exclaimed 
the uncle. '^ Then, sir, be seated." 

^' Again the pastor took the chair of the Prophet. Yet 
when Uncle Isaac's eye fell upon the cup of the Prophet, 
his face looked troubled. '^ But, your reverence," he 
said, ^' you have drunk out of the cup of the Prophet." 

The pastor smiled. ^' At every Passover celebration in 
my church," he answered, '^ I drink out of a cup made 
sacred by one greater than your Prophet Elijah, one who 
gave his life that there should be no hate among God's 
children. Some day I hope we shall both drink out of the 
same cup in the kingdom of God." 

While all this was going on, Edward sat very still, 
with wide-open eyes watching this man who spoke such 
kindly words. He wanted to ask him questions, yet his 
uncle went on. '^ The kingdom of God! Sir, what mean 
you by that?" 

'^ I mean," returned the pastor, ^^ that a day will come 
when there shall be no barriers between men; when the 
strong shall care for the weak, and the rich serve the poor, 



126 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

and all men shall delight to do the will of God, when nation 
shall not lift up sword against nation, ' neither shall they 
learn war any more/ '^ 

The Promised Nation of Brotherhood 

^' Ah, you quote our prophet Isaiah/^ exclaimed Uncle 
Isaac. ^^ Do you know what our rabbis say is tht reason 
this great day has not come? I will tell you/' And Uncle 
Isaac began the tale which Edward had listened to many 
times before, how the Lord God summoned all the nations 
to appear before him so that the nation which was worthiest 
might receive the reward and lead the nations of the world 
so that they might become one. First came the Assyrians, 
but the Lord God refused the reward to them because they 
had broken other nations to exult in their own strength. 
After them followed the Romans, but though they had 
built great cities and heaped up much silver and gold, they 
had done it for the sake of their own pleasure and riches. 
The Greeks, too, were turned away, in spite of the treasures 
of wisdom and beauty they had gathered, for they too, 
had not been mindful of God. So the Lord God could 
not find one nation which had done anything to fulfil the 
law of God. ^^ And,'' his uncle concluded, ^^ those words 
of the Prophet shall not be fulfilled until a nation does 
come which will live to do his will, and obey his law; which 
will build cities for his glory, and bridges in order to serve 
him better; and which, if it goes to war, will go to set free 
those that are oppressed." To Edward's great astonish- 
ment, and joy too, the pastor replied, 

^' Oh, but there is such a nation — just one. It has 
fought a war to set free the slaves." (Here Edward's 
heart gave a great leap as he remembered ^^ Uncle Joe's '' 
stories of Abraham Lincoln; he was sure of what the pastor 



BROTHERS ALL 127 

would say next.) ^^ It is America! Though it is far away 
and you do not know much about it, I am sure it will be 
the nation to lead the other nations of the world into 
brotherhood. But now, good-night. May your Passover 
be peaceful! Remember that the Prophet's word shall be 
fulfilled.'' With that he was gone. 

Edward hardly recalled what happened next. He was 
so very busy thinking of what the pastor had just said, and 
putting together this with all he had learned about Abraham 
Lincoln. ^^ To lead the nations of the world to brother- 
hood." That's what he had said. That's what he wanted 
to have a share in doing. Oh, he must go to America and 
share their task. 

Toward the New Land 

With this great desire in his heart and mind, it is not 
strange, is it, that Edward tried to run away, to attempt 
to reach America? Once he ran after the omnibus which 
carried back to that wonderful land a family who had come 
home from America for a visit. He clung to the steps of 
the omnibus, begging to be taken too. Yet when it reached 
the toll-gate, back he had to go. On another occasion, with 
a poor half-witted boy, he succeeded in getting as far away 
as the railroad. But there they were thrown into jail with 
gypsies and thieves and tramps, and there they were found 
by Edward's older brother and carried home in disgrace. 

Finally, however, after several years, Edward Steiner 
did go to America, and did carry out his task of expressing 
brotherliness and helping weak and discouraged and op- 
pressed people. This is how his going came about. It 
happened while Edward was a student in the University. 
He had never outgrown his desire to help the people who 
were in trouble. He felt particularly the wrongs done 



128 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

to the Slavic people with whom, as a boy, he had played. 
He could not bear to see them beaten and imprisoned and 
insulted by the ruling class. Perhaps he spoke too freely 
of their wrongs and the evils of the government. At all 
events, one vacation when Edward was at home, an official 
told his mother that if she paid him a sum of money he 
could keep the boy from being punished. He advised her 
to have him leave the country. So hurriedly and secretly 
Edward made ready to go to America, and almost before 
he knew it he was on board a ship that did indeed behave 
like a nutshell on the creek. It made him a very miserable 
boy indeed, down there in the steerage, for he was both 
seasick and homesick. 

A Stranger Within the Gates 

On reaching New York there began a wonderfully in- 
teresting life for Edward Steiner. Imagine all he thought 
and felt when he saw the Statue of Liberty enlightening the 
world as he sailed into New York harbor. What hope for 
the new days of brotherhood did he feel, as he stepped 
forth into the great citj^, hearing all about him the clamor 
of a language he did not understand. He spent five cents 
of his small amount of money for a banana and ate it, skin 
and all. One of the many men gathered at the landing- 
place secured him and led him away in triumph to a board- 
ing house. He also introduced him to a place called saloon. 
When Edward discovered what this was, he wanted to 
retreat. He wandered up and down Broadway after din- 
ner, looking for work, followed by many a small boy, who 
called after him, '' Greenhorn! '' Edward soon learned 
what that meant. That was the second EngHsh word he 
learned. When he had paid for his supper that night 
and for his night's lodging, he had not a cent left. Next 



BROTHERS ALL 129 

day he had nothing to eat except water; that, fortunately 
for him, was free. Up and down the streets he walked, 
looking for work. Bartenders, barbers, bakers, butchers, 
too, and clothing-cutters were all in demand, but there 
seemed to be no place for a university man who had special 
skill in languages. As night came on, he recalled that his 
mother had given him an address of a distant relative who. 
years ago, had come to New York. Although it was over 
eighty blocks away, he walked the whole distance. He was 
cordially welcomed. 

The First Job 

Another day he passed in looking for work, again 
without success. The only opening he could find was 
in the cloak trade — the refuge of all those who are 
unfit for harder tasks — so next day this college-trained 
lad went to work in a sweatshop as a presser of cloaks. 
Before noon the iron seemed to him to weigh a ton, and 
the hour allowed them for lunch ended much too quickly. 
With ten cents from some money borrowed for use that 
first week, he set out to buy his meal. The mysterious 
word '^ sandwich '' attracted his eye, but the article 
proved to be a great disappointment — only two pieces 
of bread and butter with a slice of cheese between. 
That afternoon he scorched the hem of a garment, and 
earned a scolding from the Irish forelady. Though he 
could not understand a word she said, he could not fail 
to understand her gestures or her look. Homesick and 
miserably weary he felt that night. The same friends 
who had aided him to secure work, now arranged for 
him to attend night school and learn English — for he 
then knew the following words: down-town, up-town, 
mirror, boss, knock-out drops, banana, elevated, figure 



130 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

cloak, presser, mince pie, sandwich, saloon, greenhorn, 
and forelady. Within the first week he was enrolled as 
a student in Cooper Union. After class he walked home 
with some men who had acquired other English out of 
school, and taught it to him. One disastrous day all 
innocently he used this in a conversation with his Irish 
forelady and, as a result, he found himself without his 
job. Again there was a hunt for work, and again 
friends were kind; this time he worked as a cutter. 
Though he labored ten hours a day, he went regularly 
to night school. Soon he had learned enough English 
to read David Copperfield, which he drew from the 
PubKc Library. At the end of a month disaster fell 
again. He was '' laid off,'' for it was ^' slack time/' 
There was nothing to do but to walk the streets and 
hunt for work. He tried it in a baker's shop and in a 
sausage factory, but he earned hardly enough to keep 
aHve. At last he determined to go West. Accordingly, 
he set out across the ferry to New Jersey, bought a 
ticket as far west as his money would carry him, and 
arrived that night at — Princeton, N. J. 

A Quiet Home 

For a time he worked for a farmer near there; then 
he walked on to Philadelphia, where he again spent all 
his money for a ticket w^estward. This time he was 
carried to a lonely httle spot in the heart of Pennsyl- 
vania. Here a simple, friendly farmer sheltered and fed 
him. In this beautiful Christian home he Uved and 
worked until autumn came, seeing daily the power of 
Christ to beautify and raise their hves. Yet on Edward 
Steiner felt he must go; this time he reached Pitts- 
burg. 



BROTHERS ALL 131 

In the Steel Mills 

It was not difficult to find work in the steel mills, 
and soon he was pushing a chaldron of molten iron from 
a room out to a shed. After ten hours of this, however, 
he was too exhausted to do anything but sleep, although 
his mind and heart were still hungry for better things, 
and he knew within him that he must climb out of the 
pit. Worse than this weariness, however, was the fact 
that he had to live, one of twenty, in two stuffy, unaired 
rooms, without any conveniences at all, for the workers 
in the factories w^ere regarded as '' cattle,'^ unused to 
any other kind of living and not desiring a change. 
Sundays he had to work sometimes, but more often he 
was too exhausted to do more than write a letter home. 
At last his work there was ended by a flood that tem- 
porarily closed the mill. To add to this distress, dis- 
ease and pestilence followed. 

In the Coal Mines 

From Pittsburg he went on to Connelsville to work 
in the coal mines, walking all the way along the rail- 
road tracks. A miner engaged him as helper. It was 
a dark, black world into which he descended, this world 
of the coal mine, full of toiling men and mules. There 
he shoveled coal into numerous cars which came and 
went in rapid succession until at last they ascended 
from the darkness of the mine to the night above. Then 
his boss escorted him to a saloon, where with several 
of his friends, he drank Edward's health — at his ex- 
pense. All along the street that led to his lodging he 
passed saloon after saloon. How he hated them! The 
street was filled with half-drunk men and women, none 
who could be to him a real friend. For a week he kept 



132 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

at this work, although each succeeding day it became 
more difficult to reach the mine. Men who spoke 
English tried to keep them back, for there was a 
'^ strike/' One day as they reached the top of the 
mine, lumps of coal were hurled at them and they had 
to run for their lives. Next day, before they could reach 
the mine, they were surrounded by men armed with 
sticks and guns. Edward tried to take shelter behind 
a water tank, but a crowd of men seized him and beat 
him until he knew no more. 

Unjust Imprisonment 

When he came to himself he found that he was in 
jail, for what offense he did not know. For six weeks 
there he stayed, enduring various small tortures, without 
a hearing and without knowing why he was kept there. 
Then he was taken before the judge. At first he was 
charged with shooting to kill. Edward protested his 
innocence in the best English he could. Yet the officers 
had found upon him a revolver. Ah! He remembered. 
That had been given him by one of those mates of his 
in the Pittsburg boarding house, one of those who had 
died there of smallpox. He told them about it. Then, 
when the revolver was discovered to be too rusty for use, 
the charge was changed to ^' carrying concealed weapons.'' 
He was sentenced to a fine of one hundred dollars and 
three months in jail. Within ten minutes he was re- 
turned to his quarters. It is no wonder that he burned 
with a fierce sense of injustice. Was this the land of 
Abraham Lincoln, the nation which would lead the 
nations of the world to brotherhood? For over six 
months he had to remain in jail, for his fine had to be 
worked out. No one came to explain or to help him. 



BROTHERS ALL 133 

Such unjust treatment has often made anarchists. 
Fortunately it did not result so in this case. On the 
contrary, Edward Steiner left that county jail with a 
more intense desire than before to right the wrongs 
against the spirit of brotherhood under which men suffer. 

Wandering in Search of Work 

He now became a tramp, not because he chose to be, 
but because he desired to reach Chicago, and that was 
the only way to get there. On his way he occasionally 
was taken into the homes of really Christian people, 
who welcomed him to their family prayers and tried to 
help him by word and deed. At last he reached the 
great city. While he was studying out the posters of 
various labor agencies, a man stopped him, spoke of an 
attractive situation, and invited him into the saloon 
to talk it over. Eager for work, Edward quickly fol- 
lowed him in, but as he accepted the invitation to step 
in front of the bar, he felt something give way beneath 
him and he was hurled into darkness. Late at night, 
he felt himself dragged out into the alley and left. He 
called feebly for help, but no one answered. After a 
long time he summoned all the strength he possessed 
and crawled on hands and knees back to the street. 
As he staggered to his feet, a poHceman caught him by 
the collar and dragged him to the lamp-post. Before 
Edward realized it, he was roughly pushed into the 
patrol wagon that carried him to the police station. 
There he spent a horrible night among men who cursed 
and fought for space enough to stretch out in for sleep. 
After this experience, he drifted into that section of the 
city where the comers from Bohemia had gathered. He 
knew their language and was soon at home and at work 



134 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

among them. A year of '' hard times '' it proved to be. 
Even temporary occupations failed him at last, and he 
set forth for the farm lands of Minnesota, walking the 
railroad tracks to the city limits, then '^ jumping a 
freight.'' Crossing the Mississippi on the trestle, he 
and his companion were caught by a train. Only the 
foaming river was below them, so they squeezed through 
the ties, and clung desperately to the beam while the 
train thundered overhead. 

A Harvest Hand 

Finally Edward was hired as a harvest hand. Here he 
was most fortunate, for it was a friendly Christian 
household, and in their play as well as in their work, 
he had a share. At evening, too, he shared the worship 
in family prayers; the hymn, the prayer and the reading 
from the English Bible impressed him deeply. It was 
one of those homes which had carried out to the West 
the ideals of the Puritans and the Pilgrims, and the 
beauty and dignity of it made a great impression on this 
Jewish lad from far away Hungary. Here was that 
brotherly life for which he had longed. He planned a 
future for himself on a farm v/ith a home such as this. 
Now he was quite ready to forget the sufferings, the 
injustice, the hunger, the sweatshop, the steel mill, the 
mine, and the jail. He had not found much brother- 
liness in these. But this was not to be. When frosts 
came, the year's work was done. His wages were given 
him, and he was again homeless and in search of work. 

A Transforming Discovery 

These were some of Edward Steiner's first experiences 
in America. It would take too long to recount all of 



BROTHERS ALL 135 

his many adventures and the steps by which he was at 
last led to go back East. Starting for a Jewish Theo- 
logical Seminary to become a rabbi, he entered at last 
the Christian Theological Seminary in Oberlin and be- 
came a Congregational minister. To reach the Jewish 
Seminary, he worked his passage by travehng on a 
cattle train. One night, in running along the top of the 
train to his cars, a fellow worker tripped him up, causing 
him to fall overboard with a twisted leg. This changed 
his plans. In the town where he then found refuge he 
was well cared for. Here he came in contact with more 
Christian homes, as well as with Jewish, for the Jews 
and Christians lived on brotherly terms and not on such 
terms as they had lived in his boyhood home in Hun- 
gary. He went quite frequently to the Christian church, 
for a warm friendship grew between him and the pastor 
and his wife. In their lives, as in the lives of others, 
he saw Christ walking among men, and began to feel 
his power. '' If lives like these were projected into the 
world of strife and injustice, would they not accomplish 
more than those which hurl back the hate with which 
they have been pelted? ^' This was his question. At last 
he decided to follow Him who was the champion of the 
weak, the oppressed, and the outcast, who was the 
loving Brother of all men, whatever might be their race. 
Under His leadership he would strive to be a brother to all. 
It will not surprise you to learn that during Dr. Steiner's 
work as a Congregational pastor, he took special interest 
in those who, like himself, had come and were coming 
from other lands to America; or that now, while he is 
Professor of Applied Christianity in Grinnell College, Iowa, 
he still does all he can to express his brotherly love and 
interest for them. He longs that these newcomers, what- 



136 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

ever may have been the gleam they have followed in coming 
to America, may have a fair chance to become their best. 
He has striven earnestly to change the evil conditions which 
surrounded them in sweatshop, mill, and mine; to have 
near them, instead of the saloon and brothel, friendly 
forces by which they may be lifted up; and to let them 
learn the real brotherhness of America, instead of injustice 
and cruelty. In this way. you see, he is making real the 
ideal which long ago shone before him in Hungary in the 
life-story of Abraham Lincoln; he is endeavoring to lead to 
freedom the oppressed races, to show that in fellowship 
with Jesus Christ and service for him is the true democracy 
and internationahsm, for which today men have given their 
lives on the battlefields of Europe. 

Isn't the story of this one man's life inspiring! Yet, as 
he says himself, his story does not differ from that of many 
others. All the influences for good or for evil which sur- 
rounded him, the sweatshop, the mills, the mines, the lower 
courts, the jails, the unemployment, the tramp Kfe, the 
American home, the Christian church — these surround 
all the others, for what happened to him has happened, 
is happening, to some and ought to happen to others. 
While there are many who are helped, there are millions 
who never are reached, who are made brutal by their hard, 
grinding work, and who are starved for lack of friendly 
sympathy. Countless ones die, not knowing the brotherly 
America that Edward Steiner found. 

Our Welcome to Our Later Pilgrims 

Our Congregational Home Missionary Society carries 
on work in twenty-three different foreign languages, so 
that even before the newcomer can understand English, 
he can hear the message of Jesus. At the very gateway 



BROTHERS ALL 137 

to America where these later pilgrims land, friendly folk 
who speak their own language help smooth out all per- 
plexities and give them brotherly welcome. Through this 
society in the cities there are settlements where clubs and 
classes give the young people and the boys and girls a 
chance to learn American ways and American ideas and 
ideals, and make real friends. In the country districts, 
where now-a-days many modern pilgrims from foreign lands 
find their way to the farms, there are home missionaries at 
work. Out into the frontiers, just like those to which 
the ^' Iowa Band '' went, are going men and women to do 
the same sort of work in the same spirit. The Congrega- 
tional Home Missionary Society was founded long ago by 
men who saw that the real greatness of this nation would 
depend upon its greatness of character and the nobility of 
its ideals. They knew this greatness of character could 
be developed only in the sincere following of Jesus and 
carrying out his ideals for the world. They labored to 
make their dreams come true, and so men since their time 
have '' carried on.^' In all its work today, the Home 
Missionary Society seeks to do for all these people what we 
see was done for Edward Steiner. Now in a special sense 
it is more necessary than ever that this work be done. 
America must become really Christian, if she is to lead the 
nations of the world into a true brotherhood. It is for us to 
take up their work and '^ carry on! '' 

TO THE PUPIL 
Read Dr. Edward A. Steiner's own story of his experiences, if 
you wish to knoAV more about his boyhood. These books are 
Against the Current and From Alien to Citizen. From them this 
story of his Hfe has been taken. Two other books which will help 
you understand our brothers from foreign lands are The Making oj 
an American, by Jacob Riis, and The Promised Land, by Mary Antin. 



138 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

QUESTIONS 

1. How did Edward Steiner first learn about America? 

2. Why did Lincoln become his hero? 

3. What other event made him eager to go to America? 

4. How did he finally set out? 

5. Tell about his first days in New York. 

6. Relate his adventures in sweatshop, mill, mine, and jail. 

7. Is this the real America which Edward Steiner saw? 

8. What knowledge of Christian people did he have? 

9. How did he find true brotherliness? 

10. How does he serve Jesus today? 

11. Why is Dr. Steiner 's story important? 

12. What makes being brothers to foreigners hard work? 

13. How do CongregationaHsts express the best of America to the 
newcomers and others? 

14. How do you think the C. H. M. S. helps the cause of democ- 
racy and the era of brotherhood? 



I 



IX 
CARRY ON 

" What are Christians put in this world for, but to do the impos- 
sible in the strength of God! ^' 

— General Samuel C, Armstrong. 

On the Hilltop 

All of us, at some time or other^ have stood on the top 
of a hill. Do you remember how the long climb up from 
the valley beneath looked? Ahead of you lay another 
valley to explore, and beyond that were more hills to 
climb. Let us stand on such a hilltop and look back. 
Let us see how each one of these Congregational heroes 
has helped to advance the cause which is so near our hearts 
today — the progress of brotherhood in the world. Then 
let us look at the valley just below us and catch a glimpse 
of the higher mountains which he beyond the valley and the 
mountains where lie our adventure. 

The Beginning of the Journey 

Away off in the distance more than five hundred years 
ago there were John Wyclif and the Lollards, who, as they 
studied the life of Jesus and his first followers, saw that 
certain ways of life in their own day were wrong. They 
refused to call the Pope and his representatives their mas- 
ters. They resolved to obey Jesus and call only him their 
Lord. In spite of suffering they followed the gleam. As 
their influence spread, you remember, and as more people 
through the pages of the printed Bible saw the gleam that 
they had followed, there came to be the body of people 



140 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

known as Puritans, because they wished to purify the 
Church of England of those customs and behefs which they 
considered not in keeping with the commands of Jesus. 
Like the Lollards, they too refused to believe that any 
human being, whether the Pope or the king of the country, 
had the right to say how an individual person should obey 
God. The Bible told them how to do this, and Jesus was 
their Master. Yet some Puritans went even further 
than this. These were the Separatists, who determined that 
it was right to leave the Church of England and organize 
a church more Hke that of the first followers of Jesus. 

Pilgrims and Puritans 

William Bradford and the other members of the church 
at Scroob}^, which became the first Congregational Church 
in America, belonged to this group of Separatists. We 
learned from William Bradford's own account all that 
their loyalty to their principles cost them in personal 
suffering, hardship, sacrifice, and life. We were thrilled 
at their daring, their patience, their persistence, their 
heroism. When we remember all it cost them and the 
many others hke them w^hose stories have not been told, 
we place greater value on our liberty of conscience. 

In the story of John Winthrop, we saw what a valiant 
struggle the Puritans carried on. At first they also con- 
tended for hberty of conscience, but in their fight liberty 
began to have a further meaning. They declared the right 
of freedom of speech and the authority of the people to 
rule. They declared that the laws under which they lived 
ought to be in keeping with those in the Bible. Every 
man was a citizen in God's kingdom. They began to 
struggle for civil hberty. We saw how under John Win- 
throp the Puritans adventured to America and there laid 



CARRY ON 141 

the foundation of a state which expressed their beliefs, 
the beginning of the first democracy. Not all the Puritans, 
however, came to America. Many remained in England 
and continued the contest there, winning at last for their 
country a form of government in which the people had a 
part. 

Two Fearless Builders 

We remember Thomas Hooker's great service to the 
progress of democratic government, how he faced hard- 
ship and death as a pioneer to Connecticut that he and his 
church might put into practise their convictions that the 
authority to govern lay with all the people and not with a 
few chosen men, and how this Constitution of Connecticut 
was the true ancestor of the Constitution of the United 
States. 

Then there came still another step forward up the hill, 
the conquest of slavery. Dr. Manasseh Cutler struck a 
first blow against the continuation of slavery when he 
insisted that a law forbidding it be a part of the Ordinance 
in 1787. General Armstrong carried on the work by his 
gallant fight in the Civil War for freeing the bodies of the 
African race, and by his equally gallant fight as a soldier 
in the service of the Lord in his work at Hampton for 
freeing their souls from bondage to their worst selves. 
His aid was extended to the Indian race also. Today the 
American Missionary Association is carrying on this great 
campaign against the bondage of these and many less 
fortunate races to sin and ignorance. For freedom did 
Christ set them free. How proud Congregationalists 
should be that in the great campaign against slavery for 
the black race, the denomination was never divided, North 
from South. 



y 



142 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

Laborers for World Brotherhood 

In a marvelous way the Pilgrims and the Puritans, 
through their descendants, inherited the land from sea to 
sea which their charters from King James had given them. 
The ideals for which they lived became those of the whole 
country. The Iowa Band was one of several bands who went 
out to the frontiers, pioneers in transforming them into 
Christian democracies. Besides these bands there were 
hosts of others of whose achievements we are proud, and 
there are today also hosts of others who under the Congre- 
gational Home Missionary Society are striving to make 
America a real Christian Brotherhood. The story of 
Edward A. Steiner shows how other races look to America 
as a leader in making this dream come true for all the 
world. 

Into all the world, too, Congregationalists have gone in 
their efforts to advance the new day of brotherhood. The 
ways in which the missionaries have served the boys and 
girls and men and women in other lands, make us 
understand more clearly how important a work they have 
done and are still doing in making the world safe for 
democracy. And the vast importance of their work stirs 
even greater admiration for Samuel Mills and his friends 
who have followed this gleam from the Ufe of Jesus Christ. 
Isn't it a splendid record, this story of these few of all the 
followers of the gleam in only our Congregational churches! 
Many others in other churches there are. 

Our High Responsibility 

We wish to honor our own heroes as we celebrate the 
anniversary of the coming of the first Congregationalists 
to America three hundred years ago. How may we do 
this? Before this question is answered, remind yourselves 



CARRY ON 143 

of the words Abraham Lincoln used when a portion of the 
battlefield of Gettysburg was set apart as a resting-place for 
those '* who there gave their lives that the nation might 
live/' '^ It is for us the living rather to be here consecrated 
to the cause for which they gave the last full measure of 
devotion, that we here highly resolve that these dead shall 
not have died in vain, and that the nation under God shall 
have a new birth for freedom/' With this in mind can you 
see how we today may most truly honor those heroes of 
whom we have been studying? Words will not express 
our gratitude. That can be shown only by increased devo- 
tion to the cause for which they gave the last full measure 
of devotion, and the resolution that those who have lived 
before us shall not have lived and died in vain. We must 
in our own day, as loyally, as bravely as our ancestors did, 
devote our lives to carrying on the cause of brotherhood. 

Pioneers in Democracy 

In order to carry on their work so well begun, let us 
sum up the things for which our ancestors in the Congrega- 
tional churches have stood. Perhaps we notice first that 
our ancestors stood for democratic government. Hooker's 
belief that the people have authority to elect rulers and 
make the laws which are to govern them has become the 
belief of everyone in our nation. Today the Great War 
has been fought to determine whether or not the people of 
every nation on the earth shall have that authority. 
Hooker further declared that: "The privilege of election 
which belongs to the people therefore must not be exercised 
according to their humors, but according to the blessed 
will and law of God." This reverence for the power 
to vote ought to be cultivated. To have right laws is 
our responsibility. Every Christian, and surely every 



144 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

descendant of these pioneer Congregationalists, ought to 
further in every way real democratic government for this 
nation and for all the nations. 

Pioneers in Missions 

These ancestors of ours were pioneers in missions. 
The Scrooby Church came to America to carry out this 
missionary desire. They wanted to extend their faith. 
Very soon they undertook to bring their Indian neighbors 
to Jesus. In 1793 the first home missionary society, the 
Connecticut Home Missionary Society, was founded to 
carry to their friends who had gone out to the frontiers 
the privileges of fellowship with Jesus. The American 
Board, which was organized in 1810, was the first foreign 
missionary organization in the United States. The deeds 
of our ancestors are their splendid monument. They 
achieved much. So must we. The work is not all done. 
As Congregationalists we are responsible for telling 75,- 
000,000 people in non-Christian lands that they are the 
children of God their Father, who loves them, and that 
he wills us all to dwell together as brothers; in other 
words our Congregational churches, unaided by others, 
must reach almost as many people as Uve in the United 
States. In Mexico, for instance, our share of the territory 
in which to work, so that our efforts and those of other 
denominations will not overlap, is as large as all New 
England plus New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Mary- 
land, Delaware, and Virginia. The population of the 
territory is 750,000 people; our force of missionaries is 
eleven — one missionary to more than 68,000 people. 
Adding together the number of people reached in churches 
and Sunday schools in our work for foreign missions, we 
find we are reaching about 360,000 people. This means 



CARRY ON 145 

that we are accomplishing one twenty-five hundredth 
part of our task in foreign fields. In the United States 
there is one minister to 594 people, and one doctor to 625 
people. In China there is one minister to 476,000 people, 
and one doctor to about 2,250,000 people; that would be at 
the rate of one doctor and five ministers to a city the size 
of Chicago. In India nine out of every ten persons who die 
have been unable to receive any medical care, yet all the 
thirty-three hospitals of our American Board could be made 
self-supporting with a fund that would be hardly enough 
to meet the expenses of one of our many city hospitals. 
We have yet to accomplish 2,499 parts of our task. Who 
says, '' It's impossible ''? Some one said that to General 
Armstrong once when he proposed a certain advance. 
The General sprang to his feet, saying, '^ What are Chris- 
tians put into the world for but to do the impossible in the 
strength of God! '' Samuel Mills was just one man. In 
his day not even one six hundred millionth part of this 
task had b^en accomplished. Yet he said, '^ We can do it 
if we will.'' From his beginning what great deeds have 
been accomplished! 

But some one has said and very truly, that we must 
Christianize America if we are to Christianize the world. 
This does not mean that we must Christianize America 
before we try to Christianize the world. It means that 
the two tasks are part of one big task, so related that 
neither one can be neglected. Out from our shores to the 
non-Christian lands go sewing-machine missionaries. Stand- 
ard Oil missionaries, tobacco missionaries, rum missionaries, 
factory-machinery missionaries, government missionaries, 
merchant missionaries, and a crowd of others. ^^ But 
these aren't missionaries? " Oh, yes, they are. A mis- 
sionary is one who is sent, and all these people are sent 



146 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

to the non-Christian lands to sell goods to the people, 
or buy goods from them to send back to America. If 
these others go, why not send missionaries of Jesus Christ 
to give to the people of these lands the very best thing we 
have, the knowledge of Jesus Christ? It was because men 
knew him and followed him that the Pilgrims and Puritans 
came to America, that democracy began, that slavery was 
conquered, and that America is as great as she is today. 
We cannot refuse our best to the other lands, especially 
when these missionaries are those who are doing the most of 
all to make of these non-Christian lands real brotherhoods 
in Jesus Christ and making sure the foundations of democ- 
racy for the world. On the other hand, since these non- 
Christian lands are receiving in great numbers all these 
other kinds of missionaries we must bend every efifort to 
make all these other influences Christian too. The rum 
missionaries certainly are not. Many merchant mis- 
sionaries cheat and deceive and wrong these people in order 
that their own selfish interests may be advanced. To 
make all these other missionaries Christian is the task of 
home missions and the church at home. They must learn 
to be brothers to men of all races here at home and across the 
seas if that new day of world brotherhood is to be won. 
Our soldiers have beaten the armies of autocracy with the 
armies of democracy. They cannot conquer the spirit 
of selfishness, cruelty, and greed which makes autocracy, 
except by the spirit which makes democracy, and that is the 
spirit which comes to us from Jesus Christ, the spirit of love 
and brotherhood, of service for the welfare of others. You 
see, we are challenged to a greater task than ever before. It 
is for us to make really Christian every relationship of our 
lives, whether social, or commercial, or industrial, or national. 
We must carry on everywhere a campaign of good will. 



CARRY ON 147 

Wherever the spirit that makes for autocracy is at 
work in our own land we must overcome it; wherever 
greed and selfishness and indifference and cruelty are 
grinding down men and women and little children in our 
own land and others, we must overcome these forces. 
We must see to it, for example, that down in the south- 
land the thousands of children, black and white, picking 
cotton or working in the factories day after day, may 
have their chance. Moreover through no fault of theirs 
many children are forced by industrial conditions to 
take their places in the work of the world, handicapped 
by the lack of training in mind, body, and spirit. Yet 
Jesus said, '' Of such is the kingdom of heaven.'' In 
the second place we must see to it that the foreigners 
who came to America in such great numbers those last 
ten years before the war, and the others before them, 
have the opportunity to learn the real America. We 
are apt to look down upon them because they are 
foreigners. We blame them for remaining foreign to 
American ideals and ways. Are we fair? Do we give 
them the proper chance to know the best in America? 
The story of Dr. Edward A. Steiner, one of the millions, 
shows the obstacles in their lives, and the glory it will 
be to us to overcome them in their behalf. What a 
privilege has been given to this nation of ours to serve 
the other races here in our own land and lead them in 
the way of brotherhood. Then we can truly lead the 
nations. President Wilson has said, " If you could hear 
some of the touching dispatches which come through 
official channels — for even through these channels there 
come voices which are infinitely pathetic — if you could 
catch some of these voices that I hear, the utter longing 
of the oppressed and helpless peoples all over the world 



148 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

to hear something Hke the Battle Hymn of the RepubUc, 
to hear the feet of the great hosts of Liberty going to 
set them free, to set their minds free, you would know 
what comes into the hearts of those who are trying to 
contribute all the brains and power they have to this 
great enterprise of liberty. I summon you to com- 
radeship." 

The Canadian Army on the western front has given 
us a splendid phrase. It is ^' Carry On! '' They were 
tired, wounded men, broken in body, but their spirits 
were aflame with courage and determination to carry 
on the work begun, the work for which so many had 
given, and for which they, too, would give their all. 
We have looked back down the hill, we have seen the 
conquests of our ancestors on the field of missions. 
Forward into the valley we have looked; there Hes our task. 
Impossible? ^' What are Christians put into the world 
for but to do the impossible in the strength of God? '' 
Beyond the valley lie the mountains; beyond this 
struggle is the era of brotherhood. Let us ^^ Carry On! '' 

Pioneers in Cooperation 

Our ancestors have always stood for cooperation and 
team work. Here, too, they are pioneers. When home 
missionary work began in the West, Congregationalists 
and Presbyterians worked in partnership. The American 
Board was originally supported by the Baptist, Pres- 
byterian, and Reformed Churches, as well as the Con- 
gregational. Samuel J. Mills was a prime mover in the 
forming of the American Bible Society, in which all 
denominations of Christians have a part. Today we 
Congregationalists show this same spirit in our support 
of the Y.- M. C. A. and the Y. W. C. A., both in their 



CARRY ON 149 

work at home and abroad, as well as their work in 
Army and Navy. We must honor our ancestors by 
carrying on this same sort of team-work in the common 
task of all the churches that lies before us. It will be 
more necessary than ever. 

Pioneers in Education 

Our ancestors have always valued highly oppor- 
tunities for education. They believed that, as man is 
capable of being a son of God, he must have every 
opportunity to become his best in mind, body and 
spirit. Within the first years of the Puritan colony, 
public schools were founded. Wherever their descen- 
dants went, they carried this desire for education and 
made plans and sacrificed much to give their children 
good schools. Harvard, Yale, Williams, Dartmouth, 
Mt. Holyoke, Smith, Wellesley, Oberlin, Michigan, 
Grinnell, Marietta, Rollins, Yorktown, Colorado, Whit- 
man — these are just a few of those colleges which were 
founded directly or indirectly by our Congregational 
ancestors. The Doshisha in Japan, the .^Union College 
at Pekin, the International College in Smyrna — these 
are a few of those which have been planted overseas. 
We must ^' Carry On '' in this field of education, es- 
pecially through the schools and colleges of the A. M. A., 
the C. H. M. S., and the A. B. C. F. M. What do all 
these letters stand for? Guess. Then '' Carry On! '^ 

Our ancestors emphasized Bible study. It was through 
their earnest study of the life of Jesus that they gained 
the inspiration for each forward step in making possible 
the era of brotherhood. It was Jesus who taught that 
all men were brothers. How he would have men live 
together as brothers, all of us children of our heavenly 



150 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

Father, we must study our Bibles the harder to find 
out; we are learning more and more each day. 
Do you now see that the gleam is: 

*' Not of the sunlight, 
Not of the moonlight, 
Not of the starlight." 

Do you not see that the light of the world is Jesus? 
Do you not see that from him vshines the gleam? 

"Oh, young Mariner, 
Down to the haven 
Call your comi)anions, 
Launch j^our vessel 
And crowd your canvas, 
And, ere it vanishes 
Over the margin, 
After it, follow it, 
Follow the Gleam! " 

Pioneers of Truth 

Our ancestors have been pioneers of truth. They 
have stood for the spirit of progress. In 1620 Pastor 
John Robinson wrote the Scrooby Church that ^' he was 
very confident that there is yet more light and truth to 
break forth from His Holy Word/' That wilUngness 
to see new truth and light in God's Holy Word and to 
follow wherever its gleam led, has always been the 
spirit of our Congregational ancestors. Through this 
Great War new truths have been revealed. All men are 
seeing that the root of all our troubles hes in narrow 
selfish ideas of patriotism and nationality, We are 
seeing that we have imperfectly followed Jesus Christ. 
We are learning that greatness '^ consists not in pos- 
sessions or power or dominion, but in a desire to serve.'' 



CARRY ON 151 

We are beginning to see that " there are no frontiers 
to friendship and that the language of love is a uni- 
versal language. . . . The new patriotism will sow for 
a harvest and will reap a harvest of brotherhood and 
good-will/' ^ Victor Hugo dreamed of a United States 
of Europe. We dream of a United States of the World. 

The Hills Ahead 

This ending of warfare and establishing the new day 
of the brotherhood of nations, this dream of the ages, 
may now be brought to reality. It is impossible? 
" What are Christians put in the world for but to do the 
impossible in the strength of God! '^ In our day this is 
the new gleam of truth which shines before us. We 
shall be unworthy of our pioneer ancestors if we fail 
to follow it. '' England was not made by her states- 
men but by her adventurers,'' said General Gordon. 
This has held true of America too. It is true of the 
world. Today we stand on the hilltop, before us in the 
valley Kes our task. To us there comes this call: 

*' Be not like those 
Who sit at home and there dream and dally, 
Raking the embers of the long dead years. 
But go ye down to the haunted valley, 
Light-hearted Pioneers. 
They have forgotten they were ever young. 
They hear your song in an unknown tongue, 
But one gleam of God through your spirit shines, 
Adventurers! O adventurers! ^^ 

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

1. Tell what each of the following did to help on the new era of 
brotherhood: Wyclif, the Lollards, the Scrooby Church, John 

» Quoted from a sermon by Dr. Raymond Calkins printed in the WellesUy ColUge 
News for Jun« 13, 1918. 



vx 



152 PILGRIM FOLLOWERS OF THE GLEAM 

Winthrop and the Puritans, Hooker, Dr. Cutler, the Iowa Band. 
Dr. Marcus Whitman, Gen. Samuel Armstrong, Dr. Edward a. 
Steiner, and Samuel J. Mills. 

2. Find six things for which our Congregational ancestors have 
stood. 

3. For what great purposes do these groups of letters stand: 
A. B. C. F. M., C. H. M. S., and A. M. A.? 

4. What is our future task in foreign missions? 

5. What is our future task in home missions? 

6. In what new ways in the future shall we too have to be loyal 
to newly revealed truth if we would stand, as our ancestors have, 
for progress? 



^s 



7s 



Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: April 2006 

PreservationTechnologies 

A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 

1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive 
Cranberry Township, PA 16066 
{724)779-2111 



